July 30, 2025 — The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has received a significant budget increase through the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” allocating $29.9 billion for enforcement and deportation operations—a threefold increase from its current annual budget.
This funding, part of a broader $165 billion appropriation for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), aims to hire 10,000 new immigration enforcement agents to support a goal of reaching 1 million deportations per year, as announced by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.
However, former ICE officials and civil rights advocates have raised serious concerns about the agency’s hiring practices, oversight, and potential impact on civil liberties.
Since its establishment in 2002, ICE has grown into the second-largest investigative agency in the U.S., with approximately 21,000 employees and an $8 billion budget.
The new funding is intended to double the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division to 20,000 officers, a move that Scott Shuchart, former assistant director of ICE under the Biden administration, warns could drastically alter the agency’s culture.
Shuchart, who served as a senior advisor in ICE’s Office of the Director, expressed skepticism about the agency’s ability to responsibly manage such a rapid expansion, stating, “This administration is led by criminals, and they’re going to keep doing unlawful and terrible things.”
The hiring process for ERO officers typically involves months of security clearances and training at a federal academy.
Historically, many ERO officers are drawn from U.S. Border Patrol, as the role serves as an entry point into federal law enforcement for younger applicants with less experience.
However, the scale of the current hiring push—combined with high arrest quotas and reduced oversight—has fueled concerns about the quality and background of new recruits.
Oversight Dismantled Amid Expansion
The Trump administration’s decision to eliminate key DHS oversight offices, including those responsible for protecting civil rights and ensuring compliance with immigration laws, has intensified worries about unchecked enforcement tactics.
A lawsuit filed by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, among other groups, forced these offices to remain operational, but they are reportedly understaffed and led by Trump-aligned loyalists.
This lack of robust oversight, coupled with the agency’s expanded mandate, has raised alarms about potential abuses.
Reports of ICE officers wearing masks during arrests have further eroded public trust, with some states introducing legislation to ban law enforcement from obscuring their identities.
A group of detainees has also filed a lawsuit alleging that the use of masks enables ICE to violate constitutional and federal laws.
These tactics, described by critics as intentional efforts to incite fear, have drawn comparisons to aggressive policing practices that other agencies have moved away from.
Shuchart has voiced specific fears that the rapid hiring push could attract individuals with extremist affiliations, stating, “I’m very worried that they are going to be Proud Boys and other insurrectionists and hoodlums.”
The Proud Boys, a far-right organization founded in 2016 by Gavin McInnes, have been linked to political violence, including the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, where members were among the first to breach the building.
Several Proud Boys leaders, including former chairman Enrique Tarrio, have been convicted of seditious conspiracy and other charges related to the attack.
While no concrete evidence confirms that ICE is actively recruiting Proud Boys, posts on X reflect public concern about the possibility.
For example, one user claimed ICE is offering “$50k signing bonuses” to attract “Patriots,” a term some interpret as code for far-right groups, though these claims remain unverified.
ICE’s job postings on its official website emphasize standard federal law enforcement qualifications, including U.S. citizenship, background checks, and physical fitness requirements, with no mention of ideological preferences.
However, the agency’s history of problematic enforcement tactics—such as arresting immigrants at courthouses and separating families under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy—has amplified distrust.
A Broken Immigration System
Shuchart and other critics argue that the root issue lies in the failure of Congress to reform the U.S. immigration system over the past two decades.
“Our system makes no sense whatsoever and serves nobody’s interests,” Shuchart said, emphasizing that only comprehensive legislation can address the underlying problems.
Previous administrations, including those of Obama and Biden, have faced criticism for their own enforcement practices, such as family detentions and reports of abuse in detention centers.
However, the current administration’s approach—combining massive funding, reduced oversight, and aggressive rhetoric—marks a significant escalation.
Civil rights organizations, including Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, are calling for increased scrutiny of ICE’s actions and urging the public to support efforts to protect immigrant communities.
The organization’s recent webinar on emergency litigation and community organizing highlighted strategies to counter deportations, reflecting growing grassroots resistance to ICE’s expanded operations.
As ICE moves forward with its hiring and enforcement goals, the agency’s actions will likely remain a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration policy.
While supporters of the administration’s hard-line stance argue that the expansion is necessary to address border security, critics warn that it risks eroding civil liberties and fostering a culture of fear.
Without legislative reform and restored oversight, the agency’s trajectory could deepen divisions and undermine public trust in federal law enforcement.
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