House Democrats Ask GAO To Probe ICE Hiring Surge After Reports Of Trainee Screening Failures

Rebecca Beitsch|The Hill

Dec 18•3 min read

House Democrats asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate ICE’s rapid recruitment after reports of screening and training lapses. The administration removed age limits for applicants, offered $50,000 signing bonuses and set an aggressive hiring target of roughly 10,000–11,000 officers. NBC News reported about 200 recruits were dismissed during training, many for failing physical or academic standards, and some arrived without completed background checks. GAO confirmed receipt of the request; DHS did not comment.

House Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee have formally asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate a rapid recruitment push by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after news reports raised concerns about screening and training lapses.

Why Democrats Are Concerned

In a letter to the GAO, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking member of the committee, warned that the administration’s unprecedented hiring surge — described as the largest staffing increase in ICE history — may have led to lowered or altered hiring standards and training protocols to meet aggressive staffing goals.

Changes To Eligibility And Recruitment Targets

The administration in August removed longstanding age restrictions for ICE officer applicants by lowering the minimum age from 21 to 18 and allowing applicants over 40 to be eligible. The agency has also promoted $50,000 signing bonuses and set a target to hire roughly 10,000 new officers, with some public statements indicating up to 11,000 hires by year-end.

Findings Reported By NBC News

Reporting by NBC News identified several problems tied to the surge. The outlet reported that approximately 200 recruits were dismissed during training, with most separations due to failure to meet ICE’s physical or academic requirements. NBC also found that some recruits arrived at training without required pre-employment steps completed — including fingerprinting and drug testing — and at least 10 recruits were removed after failing drug tests or when background searches uncovered past criminal charges.

“To date, the Administration reports that ICE is on track to hire the 11,000 new agents and officers by the end of the calendar year. This rapid expansion...raises important questions about how ICE has changed its hiring standards and training protocols to meet its staffing aims,” Rep. Bennie Thompson wrote in his letter to the GAO.

What the GAO and DHS Have Said

GAO spokeswoman Sarah Kaczmarek confirmed the office received the congressional request and said the agency is following its internal process to determine whether to open a formal review. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

ICE Response

Madison Sheahan, ICE deputy director, told Fox News earlier this month that the agency’s recruitment campaign had drawn strong interest, saying more than 200,000 people had expressed interest and that ICE was close to hiring 10,000 new officers. ICE has emphasized its recruitment metrics while defending the integrity of its hiring systems.

Next Steps

The GAO review requested by Democrats seeks to clarify whether hiring practices or eligibility criteria changed during the surge, whether trainees began instruction before background or suitability checks were completed, and to verify how many trainees have been dismissed during training. The outcome of any GAO review could inform future congressional oversight or policy changes related to ICE recruitment and vetting procedures.