Durbin Presses Noem On Lax ICE Hiring Standards, Inflammatory Recruitment Messaging

Durbin Presses Noem On Lax ICE Hiring Standards, Inflammatory Recruitment Messaging

Dangerous raids, unlawful arrests, and incidents involving excessive use of force are likely to become even more common as ICE quickly hires thousands of employees under lax requirements to meet the White House's arbitrary daily arrest quota

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on recent changes to hiring practices at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following a massive funding increase by Congress, ICE is recruiting new staff by employing polarizing and inflammatory recruitment messaging while also lowering age and training requirements with signing bonuses.

In a letter to Secretary Noem, Durbin summarized the risks in current hiring practices at ICE, writing: "In recent months, following an unprecedented and unnecessary funding increase from Republicans in Congress, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has undertaken an intensive recruitment campaign to hire approximately 10,000 additional personnel. This campaign appears designed to facilitate President Trump's goal to deport one million individuals per year and arrest at least 3,000 individuals per day. To meet this quota, scores of masked and unidentified federal agents have already conducted unlawful arrests-including of U.S. citizens -and engaged in excessive force without clear cause. Whether it is an officer mishandling a gun and pointing it at bystanders or federal agents arresting U.S. citizen children in the dead of night, these mishaps have terrible consequences on immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. We are deeply concerned that these cruel, unlawful, and unprofessional actions will be worsened by lowering standards for recruiting law enforcement officials to work at ICE."

Durbin then cited concerning changes in recruitment and hiring practices, including polarizing and inflammatory promotions by DHS, writing: "To expand its applicant pool, ICE launched a campaign to recruit 'patriots' and 'defend the homeland.' ICE has also changed the age requirements for new recruits. Prior to the change in policy, individuals were required to be at least 21 years old and no older than 37 or 40, depending on the position. DHS announced that applicants now can apply at the age of 18 and there is no age cap. ICE also removed its Spanish-language requirement-shortening the training program by five weeks-and is pursuing additional ways to expedite training. ICE advertisements frequently appear on social media platforms and television, with the agency reportedly spending millions of dollars to target potential recruits in select metropolitan areas."

Durbin concluded with an admonishment for the changes, before making a series of information requests, including if ICE has hired any rioters who participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, writing: "The loosening of hiring standards and training requirements is unacceptable and will likely result in increased officer misconduct-similar to or worse than what occurred during a small surge in hiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in the early 2000s. Exacerbating our concerns, DHS has gutted offices responsible for overseeing ICE officers and ensuring accountability for use-of-force incidents. Given these developments, greater congressional oversight of ICE's hiring is essential."

For a PDF copy of the letter to Secretary Noem, click here.

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