ICE drops nearly $1 million on truck upgrades to attract recruits

Source: Courthouse News Service

August 15, 2025



ICE spent nearly $1 million on new customized vehicles to recruit new agents. (ICE via X)


WASHINGTON (CN) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spent nearly $1 million on flashy truck upgrades as the Trump administration pushes to recruit 10,000 new agents.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE showcased the tricked-out vehicles in a series of social media posts, panning over large vinyl decals that included “Defend the Homeland.” On the back window, the trucks displayed a “President Donald J. Trump” sticker. ICE posted a video of the trucks driving through Washington, D.C., over audio of a DaBaby song with the lyrics: “My heart so cold I think I'm done with ice” and “Better not pull up with no knife, 'cause I bring guns to fights.”

Congress appropriated approximately $170 billion for immigration and border enforcement in the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” giving ICE an unprecedented $75 billion in additional funds. According to the American Immigration Council, Trump’s mega-bill allocated $45 billion for construction of more immigration detention centers — a 265% increase to ICE’s current detention budget and 62% larger than the entire federal prison system’s budget — which could increase daily detentions to 116,000 immigrants.

ICE has carried out an intense recruitment campaign coined “Defend the Homeland” to hire thousands of additional agents to meet the president’s deportation goals. The agency offered a $50,000 signing bonus and student loan repayment to incentivize recruits.

Read more: https://www.courthousenews.com/ice-drops-nearly-1-million-on-truck-upgrades-to-attract-recruits/