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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to reports that more than a third of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruits have failed the physical fitness test at the agency’s training academy in Georgia. The Atlantic reported that more than one-third of new ICE recruits were unable to pass the academy’s basic fitness requirements, which include completing at least 15 push-ups, 32 sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run in under 14 minutes. The article cited internal emails that referred to some recruits as “athletically allergic.” “The figures you reference are not accurate and reflect a subset of candidates in initial basic academy classes,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek. “The facts are most of ICE’s new recruits are former law enforcement officers and many are former ICE officers who retired or quit under President Biden because they were frustrated about not being able to do their jobs.” Federal agents clash with anti-ICE protesters at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on October 12, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. Why It Matters DHS has launched a nationwide recruitment campaign to expand the ranks of ICE, citing a growing need for personnel to support enforcement and deportation operations as the Trump administration pushes to deport millions of migrants. ICE has received more than 175,000 applications so far, according to DHS. To attract candidates, the agency is offering a range of incentives, including signing bonuses of up to $50,000 and student loan repayment programs. What To Know The Atlantic article cited internal emails that referred to some recruits as “athletically allergic.” McLaughlin said that the “vast majority” of recruits being hired under the current expansion, more than 85 percent, are experienced law enforcement officers who have already completed accredited training programs. She added that prior-service hires “follow streamlined validation but remain subject to medical, fitness, and background requirements.” “These former law enforcement recruits are still required to attend the virtual Deportation Officer Training Program as well as firearms and tactical training at their local field offices,” McLaughlin said. According to DHS, all recruits must meet the agency’s Physical Ability Assessment standards as a condition of employment. McLaughlin said that ICE is not lowering its standards, but “moving fitness checks earlier in the training sequence to improve efficiency and accountability.” “ICE is advancing its hiring surge while maintaining its high fitness and training standards. Self-attestation is required prior to employment, and field offices may confirm readiness before FLETC,” McLaughlin said. In an effort to increase the number of potential recruits, DHS has removed the age cap for new applicants, allowing individuals as young as 18 to apply. Previously, applicants were required to be between 21 and 37 or 40 years old, depending on the position. The training includes obstacle courses, hand-to-hand combat, and firearms training. ICE has returned to the national spotlight amid expanded enforcement operations as the Republican led government plans to enact mass deportations. As the administration seeks to rapidly grow the agency’s ranks to meet its immigration goals, questions have emerged over whether that speed could compromise oversight and training. The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4, 2025, provides a major funding boost for border and homeland security operations. The measure allocates about $170 billion for enforcement and infrastructure, with substantial portions directed to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The funding is aimed at expanding detention capacity, improving transportation and technology systems, and supporting large-scale hiring across the agencies. What People Are Saying McLaughlin told Newsweek: “We are deploying new officers on a rolling basis and will continue onboarding through December to hire 10,000 Deportation Officers.” John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE under former President Barack Obama, from August 2013 to February 2014, told Politico: “But the concern here would be, to the extent to which the administration wants to get these people deployed quickly, do they cut corners? I worry that if you start cutting corners on standards or background checks or training, that it’s only a recipe for problems down the line.” What Happens Next DHS and ICE plan to continue their recruitment drive as the Trump administration continues plans to deport millions of migrants without legal status.
