The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is preparing to launch an aggressive $100 million recruitment campaign, internally dubbed a "wartime" strategy, targeting specific demographics at events like gun shows, UFC fights, and NASCAR races, according to a Washington Post report.
A Targeted Digital and Physical Recruitment Blitz
The plan, detailed in a 30-page internal document, outlines a significant acceleration in strategic marketing. ICE aims to attract individuals sympathetic to President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda by focusing on military enthusiasts, gun rights supporters, fitness followers, and consumers of conservative media.
A key tactic involves using "geofencing" technology to serve targeted digital advertisements to people in specific locations. This means individuals attending a NASCAR event, stepping foot on a military base, or visiting a gun trade show could find their devices receiving ICE recruitment ads.
The strategy also extends to digital spaces, with plans to target listeners of country music radio and followers of online fitness influencers. Furthermore, ICE is considering partnerships with social media influencers, potentially including former agents or veterans, who have Gen-Z and millennial audiences interested in military or fitness topics.
Building on a Reported Recruitment Success
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin did not confirm the leaked document but praised the Post for highlighting what she called a "wildly successful ICE recruitment campaign, which is under budget and ahead of schedule."
McLaughlin stated that ICE has received more than 220,000 applications in just five months, issuing over 18,000 tentative job offers. She emphasised that over 85% of new hires have prior law enforcement experience and meet the agency's rigorous standards, including virtual deportation training and in-person firearms instruction.
Over the past year, ICE has already deployed ads across television, radio, streaming services, and at live sporting events. Some campaigns have specifically targeted police officers in major cities like Chicago and Seattle, promoting signing bonuses of up to $50,000, generous benefits, and student loan forgiveness.
Fulfilling a Campaign Promise Through Enforcement
This intensified recruitment effort is directly linked to the Trump administration's campaign pledge to deport large numbers of undocumented immigrants and reduce overall immigration to the United States. The internal document indicates that ICE's marketing techniques are becoming more narrowly tailored as it seeks to expand its force to fulfil this objective.
The agency has been specifically focusing on recruiting Gen Z and early-career professionals, using social media and streaming platforms to reach an estimated 42 million people in carefully selected audience groups deemed a potential fit for immigration enforcement roles.
