Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s accelerated hiring drive has hit major hurdles as hundreds of recruits fail physical and academic requirements or enter training before completing background checks. According to NBC News, ICE rushed to expand its force to 10,000 deportation officers by January under President Donald Trump’s directive, but some trainees arrived without drug tests or fingerprinting.
Officials confirmed that at least 200 recruits have been dismissed from the Georgia training academy since the summer for failing to meet ICE standards. One trainee had a prior robbery charge, while others failed drug tests or safety reviews. ICE’s six-week training course was shortened from 13 weeks to speed up hiring, and age restrictions were waived, worsening physical readiness problems.
The Atlantic reported that over one-third of new recruits failed the agency’s fitness test, which requires 15 push-ups, 32 sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run in 14 minutes. DHS officials said 85% of new hires are former law enforcement officers who undergo streamlined vetting, though internal sources warn corners are being cut amid more than 175,000 applications.
Critics argue that lowering standards risks misconduct and undermines ICE’s credibility.
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