ICE Is Hiring Literally Anybody, and It's Terrifying

"ICE officials only later discovered that some of the recruits failed drug testing, have disqualifying criminal backgrounds, or don't meet the physical or academic requirements to serve, the sources said. ... Staff members at ICE's training academy in Brunswick, Georgia, recently discovered one recruit had previously been charged with strong-arm robbery and battery stemming from a domestic violence incident, the current DHS official said."

"They've also found as recently as this month that some recruits going through the six-week training course hadn't submitted fingerprints for background checks, as ICE's hiring process requires, the current and former DHS officials said. There is absolutely concern that some people are slipping through the cracks, the current DHS official said. The official said many of the issues that have been flagged during training surface only because the recruits admitted they didn't submit to fingerprinting or drug testing before they arrived."

"Nearly half of new recruits who've arrived for training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center over the past three months were later sent home because they couldn't pass the written exam, according to the data. The academic requirement includes an exam in which officers are allowed to consult their textbooks and notes at the end of a legal course on the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Fourth Amendment, which outlines when officers can and can't conduct searches and seizures."

ICE has recruited large numbers of candidates who later failed drug tests, have disqualifying criminal records, or lack required physical and academic qualifications. Training academy staff discovered a recruit previously charged with strong-arm robbery and battery from a domestic violence incident. Some trainees arrived without having submitted fingerprints for required background checks; others admitted skipping drug testing. Nearly half of recent recruits were sent home after failing a written exam on legal topics. The exam is open-book and covers the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Fourth Amendment. Human resources is overwhelmed after offering $50,000 signing bonuses and receiving over 150,000 applicants.

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