Defense Department civilians are signing up in large numbers to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with operations at the southern border, a top priority of President Donald Trump’s administration.
In less than two days, almost 500 employees volunteered for temporary assignments listed on USAJOBS.com. Positions are being filled across agencies including Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“This is a national security problem, and our civilians have the critical skill sets to support DHS in their mission,” said Michael A. Cogar, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Civilian Personnel Policy. “We’re proud that our civilians are already willing to sign up.”
Assignments can run for up to 180 days, with duties ranging from intelligence analysis to detention support.
A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the effort highlights Trump’s “whole-of-government approach” to addressing national security threats, including gangs and terrorism.
A Defense Department spokesperson added, “DOD civilians — who have already undergone rigorous vetting and demonstrated their commitment to serving this nation — are invited to volunteer for temporary ICE assignments to help make America safe again and remove national security threats.”
Civilian employees were notified this week by email and can apply through USAJOBS. DHS then works with their agencies to approve applications, and selected candidates may deploy within 96 hours.
Eligible applicants must be in good standing with at least 90 days in their current agency. Assignments may last up to six months, with the current program running through September 30, 2026. Volunteers will support DHS in areas such as data entry, case processing, linguistics, planning, human resources, and logistics. Participants will continue to receive their full pay and benefits, including overtime, while gaining cross-agency experience.
The program builds on a directive issued in June by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which also opened DHS roles for retiring service members through the SkillBridge program. That initiative provides service members with real-world training and work experience before leaving the military.
“This mission is truly critical, not just for DHS, not just for DOD, but for the entire country,” Cogar wrote in a Defense Department memo. “Any individual can have a force-multiplying effect, enabling DHS agents to focus on front-line work while we provide essential technical support.”
