Exclusive: ICE struggles to vet recruits amid US immigration enforcement push, internal email shows

[Timber Rattler]

https://www.reuters.com/world/ice-struggles-vet-recruits-amid-us-immigration-enforcement-push-internal-email-2026-02-26/

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is struggling to keep pace with vetting new hires during its historic recruitment push and is laying out a process to deal with allegations of past misconduct among recruits, the agency said in an internal email on Monday, underscoring concerns about ICE’s rapid expansion.

The email, sent to supervisors with ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations division and seen by Reuters, said the “high volume of new hires” and stalled background checks could create uncertainty for field offices when allegations arise related to actions before joining ICE, and that allegations should be referred to the internal Integrity Investigations Unit.

"If a Field Office receives derogatory information about a newly hired employee’s conduct prior to ERO employment (e.g., termination or resignation in lieu of termination from another law enforcement agency for misconduct), please refer the matter to IIU," it said.

(snip)

DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis denied ICE was struggling to process background checks and said the email was meant to inform supervisors of resources available to them.
“This was not highlighting any vetting problems, but rather a reminder of the services and resources ICE provides supervisors,” she said. “All new hires go through extensive background checks and continuous vetting when they are hired including criminal and financial checks.”

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