(The Hill) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is eliminating the age cap on new hires, allowing people older than 40 to join its deportation force.
The move will end the limitations on the physically demanding job at a time when the Trump administration is pressed for personnel to carry out its mass deportation agenda.
“We are ENDING the age cap for ICE law enforcement,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a post on the social platform X. “Qualified candidates can now apply with no age limit.”
The shift also eliminates the age limit for those seeking to serve as investigators, which was previously capped at 37.
A press release from the Department of Homeland Security touts the shift as being “backed by significant new funding through the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill.”
The department on Wednesday also touted an up to $50,000 signing bonus and up to $60,000 in student loan repayment.
The change prompted questions about whether the agency is having trouble attracting qualified candidates.
“Deportation officers and special agents must be in excellent physical condition, able to tolerate environmental stresses and have strong critical thinking skills,” according to the ICE recruitment page.
In an interview on Fox News on Wednesday, Noem said efforts to recruit 10,000 new ICE officers have been “extremely successful.”
“As of today, we have over 80,000 applicants for those 10,000 positions already,” she said.
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