By Darlene McCormick Sanchez
ARLINGTON, Texas—Despite protesters, hundreds of vehicles filled the parking lot on the first day of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruiting event to attract more deportation officers and attorneys.
The two-day job fair at Esports Stadium in the Dallas area that began on Aug. 26 is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to hire and train additional ICE personnel to bolster border security and deportation efforts.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it removed age limits for ICE recruits, opening the door for qualified retirees to apply.
ICE is offering incentives that include signing bonuses of up to $50,000, student loan repayment and forgiveness options, overtime pay, and enhanced retirement benefits.
Potential recruits at the Arlington job fair were greeted by a handful of protesters yelling at those driving by, with some protestors hoisting signs bearing slogans attacking ICE and the Trump administration.
“Nobody is illegal on stolen land,” one sign read, while others yelled, “We are your neighbors. We are peacefully protesting.”
Applicants who stopped to speak with The Epoch Times took the protesting in stride, unconcerned about the potential for being doxxed or targeted.
Overhead, a helicopter circled the area, and a drone could be seen flying around the parking lot.
Cecil Foster Jr., who has been an attorney for 53 years and also taught criminal law to military police, showed up in hopes of coming out of retirement and serving as an attorney for the agency.
“I want to support the idea of legal immigrants as opposed to illegal immigrants, especially the criminal type. I want to support ICE in rounding up these bad guys,” he told The Epoch Times.
Another Army veteran who drove more than an hour from Mexia to apply said he needed a good job and wanted to see what was available.
“I’m tired of being at the house. Right now, I’m a stay-at-home dad,” said Fabian, who declined to give his last name.
Santiago, a 78-year-old Vietnam veteran and former border patrol agent, who didn’t wish to give his full name either, said he drove from the Dallas suburb of Duncanville to check out the job fair.
He’s looking to possibly come out of retirement and make some extra money in a support position.
“I can still run, but I probably wouldn’t catch anyone,” he said, jokingly.
Two young women with law enforcement backgrounds who worked for the state were there looking for a better job. The risks of working for ICE were just part of it, they said.
“Every job has its good and bad sides,” one woman said, who declined to give her name.
The Dallas event is part of similar job fairs planned across the country.
Last month, DHS launched the “Defend the Homeland” nationwide recruitment effort, calling on people to join ICE to remove the “worst of the worst” illegal immigrants from the United States.
Recruitment materials are being passed out to college campuses, law enforcement networks, and job fairs.
“Your country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country,” Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.
“This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”
The ICE recruitment drive is funded from the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4.
The OBBB Act allocated nearly $30 billion to ICE for hiring and training additional personnel.