More than 2,900 workers left ICE in the first half of 2026, exceeding departures in any previous full calendar year, while about 4,400 were hired. Terminations and quits outweighed retirements, a USA TODAY analysis of federal workforce data found.
ICE hired nearly 12,000 full-time workers from January 2025 through June 2026—more than in the entire preceding decade. Terminations accounted for 18% of separations in 2026, up from under 1% in 2024, while people who quit made up more than half. Median tenure was under four months for workers terminated this year and about six months for those who quit.
Among hires in the first 18 months of Trump's second term, 38% had a high school diploma or less, the largest education group; among hires in the preceding decade, a third had graduate degrees and 31% had bachelor's degrees. Experts pointed to flawed vetting and training as officers took on more public interactions. A former attorney who trained agents testified that the agency cut classes critical to handling situations safely. DHS said education requirements had not changed and it was hiring top candidates, including experienced law enforcement officers.
