ICE reportedly plans about 5,000 more hires amid vetting backlog
Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to hire up to 5,000 more staff, mostly deportation officers, according to a New York Times report. The plan follows last year's hiring surge, which was criticised for skipped background checks.
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The story, neutrally told
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to hire as many as 5,000 more agents amid President Trump's immigration crackdown, according to a report. The IndependentLC “Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to hire as many as 5,000 more agents amid President Trump’s ongoing crackdown on immigration, according to a report.” Read at The Independent ↗ The New York TimesLC “ICE Plans 5,000 New Hires to Help With Deportation Drive” Read at The New York Times ↗ Sources familiar with the plans told The New York Times the agency wants to grow its workforce by a further 17 percent, and that most of the hires will be deportation officers. The IndependentLC “the agency wants to grow its workforce by a further 17 percent. The majority of those hires will be deportation officers.” Read at The Independent ↗ The Times reports that a similar surge last year led to undervetted officers initially being let in and then removed, because the agency skipped basic checks for new recruits. The New York TimesLC “A similar surge last year resulted in undervetted officers initially being let in and then removed as the agency skipped basic checks for new recruits.” Read at The New York Times ↗
The Independent, citing the Times, says ICE still has a vetting backlog from that surge, with nearly 7,500 recruits awaiting background checks and able to work only in a limited capacity. The IndependentLC “ICE is still tackling a huge vetting backlog from last year’s surge of hires, with nearly 7,500 recruits awaiting background checks.” Read at The Independent ↗ Earlier this year the Department of Homeland Security said it had more than doubled ICE officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000, with more than 220,000 applications. The IndependentLC “more than doubled the number of ICE officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000, receiving more than 220,000 applications” Read at The Independent ↗ The agency's expansion has been funded by more than $100 billion from Congress. The IndependentLC “massively expanding its operations with more than $100 billion provided by Congress” Read at The Independent ↗
An ICE Office of Professional Responsibility unit chief warned in an August 2025 memo that lowered standards put DHS at risk of infiltration. The IndependentLC “This unprecedented lowering of standards sacrifices proper risk mitigation for expediency, placing DHS at risk of infiltration and insider compromise,” Read at The Independent ↗ A DHS spokesperson told the Times the new hires are unrelated to the earlier recruitment effort, are an outgrowth of new funding, and will meet stringent standards. The IndependentLC “the proposed 5,000 new hires have no relation to the previous recruitment effort and were connected to an “outgrowth” of new funding given to the DHS.” Read at The Independent ↗ Deborah Fleischaker, a former Biden-era ICE official, said vetting takes time and that it is more important to get it right than to do it fast. The IndependentLC ““Adequately vetting people takes time,” she said. “It’s more important to get it right than do it fast.”” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets lead on the hiring plan and place it alongside last year's problems with skipped or delayed vetting of recruits.
- Emphasis
- Vetting failures, the backlog of recruits awaiting checks, and warnings about lowered standards.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Coverage gives little space to the administration's case for expanding enforcement beyond the DHS statement on standards.
- Charged language
- “Big Beautiful Bill”“unprecedented lowering of standards”
- For example
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“A similar surge last year resulted in undervetted officers initially being let in and then removed as the agency skipped basic checks for new recruits.” — The New York Times
“ICE agents continue to be involved in controversial incidents on the ground” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- ICE plans about 5,000 new hires.
- Last year's hiring surge involved skipped or delayed vetting.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the new hiring relates to last year's surge
- Left
- The Times and Independent tie the plan to last year's vetting problems, while DHS says the new hires are unrelated and standards will be stringent.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement organisation
DHS says the new hires are separate from the earlier effort and that it will maintain stringent standards.
“It also insisted that it would maintain stringent standards.” — The Independent
Left2 articles
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ICE Plans 5,000 New Hires to Help With Deportation Drive
Critical Leads with the hiring plan and last year's undervetted recruits who were let in and then removed.
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ICE wants to hire another 5,000 new agents to help deport more migrants
Mixed Relays the Times report, adds the vetting backlog, arrest figures, a shooting by a recent recruit and DHS's response.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 29 Sep 16:23 First The New York TimesLC ICE Plans 5,000 New Hires to Help With Deportation Drive
- 30 Sep 09:41 +17h 18m The IndependentLC ICE wants to hire another 5,000 new agents to help deport more migrants
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.