ICE recruitment soars as applicants reveal why they want to serve in the agency

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Anti-ICE protesters clash with police in Portland, Oregon

Footage shows protesters rolling out guillotine outside of ICE's Portland field office. (Credit: X/@KatieDaviscourt)

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The Washington Post spoke to some Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) applicants last week, providing first-hand accounts of why many Americans are seeking to join President Donald Trump’s second-term deportation push.

Since July, when the Trump administration announced an initiative to hire 10,000 additional ICE agents, more than 100,000 Americans have applied. The administration has offered incentives to candidates, including a $50,000 signing bonus for select applicants.

In a report published Tuesday, the Post shared the perspectives of men attending a recent ICE career expo in Texas, many of whom said that joining the law enforcement agency was an opportunity for them to defend their country.

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The Washington Post spoke to several applicants at an ICE career expo in Arlington, Texas last week, talking to them about why they want to join the federal law enforcement agency.  (Ron Jenkins/Getty)

"I want to do anything that betters our country," said Kole Wunschel, 18, who attended the event with his father, Kim.

The elder Wunschel added, "Letting 15 million people in the country illegally should never have happened, and the people that allowed it to happen should be arrested. If your first act coming to America is breaking the law, then you don’t have the right to be here."

The Post reported that about 3,000 applicants attended the ICE recruitment expo in Arlington, Texas. The turnout reflected a nationwide surge in interest in joining the federal law enforcement agency.

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ICE federal law enforcement officers took Jorge Carvajal Castrejon, 36, into custody in Houston on Jan. 28.  (ICE/Fox News)

Christian Osborne, 24, eager to join ICE after being discharged from the U.S. Marines for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, explained his application to the Post.

"Every country for its entire existence has always had borders. We’re the only country who says, ‘Come on in.’ There needs to be a control on who can come in, to make sure you’re not some psycho."

He expressed concern about whether he might have to arrest parents of young children in the country illegally, saying, "That would weigh on my heart. It’s a tough moral question, for sure."

Still, he said he disagreed with left-leaning media portrayals of ICE agents: "To call ICE the Gestapo — that’s ridiculous."

Arturo Sanchez, a former Air Force hydraulics specialist, told the Post that, despite his Mexican background, he wants to join ICE to help promote justice in the U.S. 

"I think that it would be beautiful if we could all live together in peace and happiness, but Satan doesn’t allow that to happen, unfortunately. There are evil deeds that do go unpunished, so that’s where people like me want to see if I can help contribute to bringing justice," he said. 

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ICE agents review lists of names and hearing times inside the Federal Plaza courthouse before making arrests on June 27, 2025, in New York City. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

The federal government removed the age cap for deportation officers in August.

Kevin Tucker, 54, of North Dallas, told the Post he wants to join ICE because illegal immigrants "are not paying taxes into the system" and are taking American jobs.

When asked about reports of ICE agents acting aggressively toward immigrants or violating their rights, he expressed doubt about the accuracy of those accounts. 

"Things are posted for certain reasons. You can see the same story on different channels, and there are different narratives. On social media you’re going to get the stories that fit what you want to believe, based on the algorithm. You never get the true story," he said. 

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The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.