The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering signing bonuses of up to $50,000 and student loan repayment options as part of a nationwide effort to recruit more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The new recruitment campaign, called “Defend the Homeland,” was unveiled Tuesday and promises what DHS calls a “robust package of federal law enforcement incentives.” Along with bonuses and loan forgiveness, the offer includes enhanced retirement benefits for new hires.
Funding for the campaign comes directly from President Donald Trump’s newly enacted One Big Beautiful Bill, a sweeping tax and budget law that made his 2017 tax cuts permanent and introduced new benefits for tipped workers. The legislation also includes spending cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, two programs that have faced scrutiny under Trump’s broader push to curb federal entitlements.
To spread the word, DHS says it will distribute recruitment materials to college campuses, police academies, and major city job fairs across the country. Officials hope the incentives will attract a new wave of ICE officers amid the administration’s continued emphasis on immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration has made expanding federal immigration personnel a cornerstone of its second-term priorities. The “Defend the Homeland” initiative is part of that broader effort, aiming to bolster ICE ranks to meet rising operational demands.
