ICE Draws 150,000 Applicants As Age Cap Lifted; 18,000 Offers Fuel Deportation Surge In Sanctuary Cities

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says more than 150,000 people have applied to join ICE, with 18,000 tentative offers issued after the agency ended age caps and rolled out bonuses up to $50,000. Backed by new funding, the recruitment push aims to expand deportation capacity and aligns with high‑profile operations in major sanctuary jurisdictions, including Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz.