The Department of Defense has launched a recruitment initiative, offering civilian employees the chance to volunteer with ICE and CBP during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. These roles, which can last up to 180 days, are open to current federal civilian DOD employees and provide salaries ranging from $25,684 to $191,900 per year. The positions focus on non-law enforcement tasks such as data entry, raid planning, and immigrant processing, while volunteers may be deployed to non-negotiable locations within 96 hours.
According to a listing on USA Jobs, the volunteers are expected to be committed to improving the efficiency of the federal government and upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution. The opportunity, however, comes with certain risks and obligations, including the need for potential relocation expenses, which are not reimbursed, and the possibility of extensive overtime. The job application is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to bolster ICE and CBP ranks following the removal of an age cap for ICE positions.
The recruitment is part of an ongoing push by the administration to strengthen border security and combat illegal immigration. The Department of Homeland Security has reported a significant increase in hiring, with over 100,000 Americans joining the ICE workforce nationwide. This initiative is supported by both the Biden and Trump administrations, with the latter having recently unveiled a major recruitment campaign that includes massive bonuses to attract more personnel to the agency.
Despite the high-profile nature of the recruitment, the exact closing date for the volunteer positions has not been specified, and applications are being reviewed and submitted to DHS as they are received. The move has raised questions about the operational capabilities of the agencies and the potential impact on the overall immigration enforcement strategy. With no immediate response from DHS, ICE, and CBP to additional inquiries, the focus remains on the recruitment effort and its potential implications for immigration policy and enforcement in the United States.