Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is rolling out a bold new recruitment pitch for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: student loan forgiveness for those willing to sign up as agents. The move is part of a sweeping plan to expand ICE and support President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
In a statement announcing the effort, Noem framed the offer as a patriotic call to action.
“Your country is calling you to serve at ICE,” she said. “Your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country. This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”
🚨BREAKING: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announces ICE has eliminated the “age cap” restrictions for joining the agency.
ICE aims to hire over 10,000 new agents, offering a $50K signing bonus plus $60K in student loan forgiveness.🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/2df9a3hw17
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) August 6, 2025
The recruitment drive, which opened last week, was made possible by Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Passed by Congress in early July and signed into law on Independence Day, the bill allocates more than $170 billion in taxpayer money for immigration enforcement over the next decade. Of that, $30 billion is earmarked for new hires and $45 billion for additional detention centers.
Noem appeared on Fox & Friends Wednesday, August 6, where she revealed ICE had already received 80,000 applications for the 10,000 open positions. She also announced the removal of previous age restrictions, opening the door for younger recruits.
“We no longer have a cap on how old you can be,” she said. “You can start at 18, sign up for ICE, and be a part of it. We’ll get you trained and ready to be equipped to go out on the streets and help protect families.”
The campaign targets explicitly Gen Z and early-career professionals, as well as ex-law enforcement and military personnel. Advertising is planned across platforms like YouTube, X, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, aiming to reach 42 million people.
In addition to student loan forgiveness, new recruits are being offered a $50,000 signing bonus, enhanced retirement benefits, and extensive overtime opportunities.
Former Superman actor Dean Cain has already signed on. In a social media post earlier this week, Cain touted the “great benefits” of the job and stressed that no undergraduate degree is required.
“Since President Trump took office, ICE has arrested hundreds of thousands of criminals, including terrorists, rapists, murderers, pedophiles, MS-13 gang members, drug traffickers, you name it,” Cain said.
“Very dangerous people who are no longer on the streets. If you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets. They need your help, we need your help.”
Despite the incentives, ICE continues to face intense criticism. The agency’s methods have sparked protests, including a major demonstration in Los Angeles in June. Questions persist over whether due process is being upheld and about the conditions inside detention facilities.
Still, the Trump administration insists the crackdown is working. Border czar Tom Homan claimed this week that 300,000 non-citizens have been deported in Trump’s first 200 days in office, with another million leaving voluntarily.
However, the agency’s daily arrest rate reportedly fell by nearly 20 percent in July, with some officers citing low morale and frustration over long hours spent on paperwork rather than field operations.
Whether Noem’s student loan forgiveness pitch will reverse that trend remains to be seen, but with 80,000 eager applicants already in the pipeline, ICE’s expansion is clearly gaining traction.
