ARLINGTON, Texas – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is holding a major hiring event in Arlington this week as part of a nationwide effort to expand its workforce.
ICE Hiring Event in Arlington, TX
The two-day event, which runs Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Esports Stadium, focuses on recruiting ICE officers and general attorneys.
With the Trump administration’s sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants, ICE is ramping up hiring with a goal of 10,000 new employees by the end of the year.Â
That includes thousands of deportation officers to work in North Texas.
Dig deeper:
The hiring fair comes after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the minimum age to become a deportation officer has been reduced to 18, a move aimed at broadening the pool of candidates.Â
All recruits will be required to complete medical and drug screenings and a physical fitness assessment.
FILE – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), agents detain an immigrant on October 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
What they’re saying:
“The amount of interest in working for ICE is unprecedented. We’ve never seen numbers like this before,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “We’re looking to hire thousands of patriotic Americans who care about justice, accountability, and the rule of law, and we know Arlington is a great place to start.”
The other side:
“What the federal government is doing with the ICE recruitment right now is relatively unprecedented. First, about incentives, you know, they’re leading with money,” said Dr. John DeCarlo, a local law enforcement expert. “And you mentioned age limit. Lowering the minimum age to 18 opens the door, obviously, to more candidates. But it also means asking very young people to take on a pretty serious and extraordinary responsibility in some of the – I would say – the toughest enforcement jobs in the country.”
Protesters Gather
The hiring event is not being held without controversy. A group of protesters gathered outside the venue, some yelling at applicants as they drove and walked by.
What they’re saying:
“Right now we are protesting ICE and the ICE policies. And those ICE policies are basically unconstitutional,” said protester Benny Delavega.
“We came out here today because we wanted to express our feelings about ICE and show people that there are those of us who disagree with their practices,” said Linda Weber, who was also part of the demonstration.
The other side:
Several applicants that FOX 4 spoke to shared their reasons for wanting a job with ICE. None seemed overly political.
“The protest is not what’s going to put food on my family’s table, pay the mortgage and what not. Taking care of the family is really important,” said Mukail Accicci, a job applicant. “Sometimes you work for the federal government for a while and it creates better opportunities somewhere else because you have that experience working for them.”
“Job security is going to be the main thing. I pay for all my health benefits out of pocket,” added Trenton Jordan.
“I don’t care. I need a job. I’m out here struggling like everybody else,” said Steve Mendez.
ICE Jobs
ICE is looking for professional and highly motivated individuals interested in giving back to the country – as well as their local community – by serving in a career in law enforcement or legal services. Qualified candidates may receive job offers on the spot.
During the event, candidates will have the opportunity to connect with hiring managers, learn more about ICE’s critical mission, and take the next step toward beginning a career in federal service.Â
As a new ICE employee, you may be entitled to the following incentives:
Up to $50,000 recruitment incentiveUp to $60,000 tuition assistance to repay federally backed student loansUp to 25% administratively uncontrollable overtime for deportation officersOpportunity for early retirement and other pay / benefits unique to federal law enforcement
Important Note: A five-year service agreement is required to receive certain recruitment incentives. All candidates selected for ICE positions should be prepared to submit to drug testing and a background check.
The Source: Information in this article is from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.