Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s drive to rapidly expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has led to the acceptance of applicants who can “barely read or write,” according to a Daily Mail investigation. The department aims to hire 10,000 new deportation officers by the end of the year.
A DHS official told the Daily Mail: “We have people failing open-book tests and we have folks that can barely read or write English.” The official also reported that a 469lb man was sent to the training academy despite his own doctor certifying him unfit for physical activity.
DHS has removed the age limit for ICE agents and shortened training to six weeks to accelerate hiring. While recruits must undergo medical and drug screening, sources say some are sent to the Georgia training academy before positive drug test results are received. An NBC News report from October noted that some recruits failed drug tests or had disqualifying criminal backgrounds while in training.
In one incident, a recruit asked to be excused from class because he had a court date for a gun charge. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the process, stating that over 85% of new hires are experienced law enforcement officers who have already completed a law enforcement academy. She added that DHS has received more than 175,000 applications from “patriotic Americans.”
The scrutiny of ICE hiring comes amid broader criticism of agent tactics. Last month, a federal judge banned ICE from using tear gas and riot weapons at Chicago protests unless necessary to prevent an immediate threat. In Colorado, authorities are investigating an incident where an agent put a protester in a chokehold.
