ICE Plans 5,000 New Hires to Help With Deportation Drive

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing for another hiring surge to support President Trump’s deportation campaign, with a goal of bringing on 5,000 new employees by the end of the year, according to four people familiar with the plans.

The hiring would expand the agency’s work force by around 17 percent and draw on substantial new funding provided by Congress. The agency had already staffed up drastically since President Trump took office, growing by about 8,000, to reach 29,000 employees as of July, according to federal data.

Most of the recruits are expected to be deportation officers, who participate in a variety of enforcement activities, from arresting targets to case management.

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Last year’s hiring effort drew criticism for its size and speed, as officers were let into the agency with limited or no initial vetting. By the spring, hundreds of those new hires had been removed.

This time, the agency plans to employ stricter standards for checking out new hires, one person familiar with the procedures said. {snip}

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