According to a new report from the Daily Mail, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handed out a total of $1.5 million in $10,000 bonuses to “dud” recruits this year. As of this week, the department is still advertising a $50,000 signing bonus.
Audacy noted the offer in August, when Dean Cain, an actor best known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the four-season 90s TV show “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”, announced that he was joining ICE. He’s also known for being a conservative and a supporter of President Donald Trump.
“You can defend your homeland and get great benefits, like a $50,000 signing bonus – think about that – student loan repayment, legally,” said Cain in a video encouraging others to join.
In another article, the Daily Mail said that “lax vetting” and that signing bonus “lured in a wave of recruits to ICE but that many were “woefully unfit” for the work. Even so, the outlet said unfit recruits were “rubber-stamped by an overstretched HR department that clears applicants to ‘Enter on Duty’ status with little to no screening,” to meet the Department of Homeland Security’s goal of hiring 10,000 new ICE officers this year.
That $50,000 signing bonus is intended to be doled out in $10,000 installments. Per the Daily Mail’s report (citing “insiders”) this week, the first installment was paid “simply for showing up, thanks to the vagueness of the application,” to the tune of $1.5 million in taxpayer money as of Dec. 1.
Some recruits allegedly failed open-book tests and basic training. Inisders cited by the Daily Mail also said some recruits were more than 460 pounds, that others did not know how to read in English and that others failed drug tests.
“The Trump administration didn’t recognize the snafu until months into the hiring process and is now seeking to claw back the money, according to agency sources,” the Daily Mail alleged. It cited one unnamed DHS official who reportedly said: “In their hurry to write this bonus structure and to incentivize people to apply, they didn’t make the signing bonus contingent on actually qualifying for the position.”
One official said an estimated 150 applicants have received the incentive, the Daily Mail added. However, an ICE spokesperson would not confirm the number. By Dec. 1, a total of 584 recruits had failed out of the academy, based on records viewed by the Daily Mail.
“At first, we were wondering why all these sh***y students were showing up for training, and then later were like, ‘Wait, we’re giving them a free $10,000?’” said another official cited by the outlet.
CNN has also reported on issues with the ICE recruitment push. In an Oct. 24 Instagram post, the outlet said one source called the process a “sh**show.”
It said that the department “attempted an about face,” when it realized the issue regarding those first installments. New hires were sent a notice, the Daily Mail said.
“The Daily Mail obtained a copy of the notice, titled ‘Updated Incentive Payment Information,’ sent out in mid-November on behalf of the Office of Human Capital, the department’s HR arm,” the outlet said. Here’s what it reportedly said: “OHC previously communicated recruitment incentives would be paid within 90 days of employees onboarding into an eligible position,” in one part. Then, it adds, “recruitment incentives will be paid after successfully completing initial required training and firearms qualification necessary to carry out the duties of the position.”
For those who come into the program with law enforcement training, incentives are to be paid out “only after 90 days from their EOD date or after completing initial required training (if required) and firearms qualification – whichever is later,” the notice added.
“ICE officials wouldn’t acknowledge the error or discuss specifics but suggested any employees who flame out will have their bonuses revoked,” said the Daily Mail. A spokesman also said that “employees are required to acknowledge that they are obligated to repay the $10,000 recruitment incentive payment received if they separate from ICE within the first 24 months of service, including if they do not maintain minimum performance standards or are separated for cause.”
Still, the insiders cited by the outlet said it might be difficult to get those funds back.
While the ICE recruitment process has reportedly seen corners cut to bring in new members, per CNN and the Daily Mail, other federal departments have made headlines for other types of staffing issues. For example, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has changed requirements for things like beards and has spoken of his desire for higher physical standards in the military. As the ICE recruits were allegedly getting bonuses, the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Initiative also saw many controversial government staff cuts.