175,000 Americans applied to join ICE

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that 175,000 citizens applied to join the ranks of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

This was assured by Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLoughlin on "The Alex Marlow Show" podcast. "It really is encouraging to see that patriots see through the charade of the media, they want to enforce the rule of law, and they want to protect our homeland," the spokeswoman maintained, asserting that the figures were "hot off the press."

"[Applicants saw that during] the last four years this nation was brought to its knees with this scourge of illegal immigration, and they want to protect their communities and where they come from," she added, recalling that the administration offers a maximum signing bonus of $50,000.

In early September, DHS reported receiving 150,000 requests. Therefore, in about a month, some 25,000 requests have reportedly been completed.

The return of Uncle Sam

The agency launched a campaign in July to recruit agents strongly supported by patriotic values. "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 Kristi Noem said during the campaign kickoff.

In addition to the bonus, other benefits announced at the time include student loan repayment options and forgiveness, enhanced retirement benefits and overtime pay.

The campaign picks up on patriotic images and phrases, such as the iconic illustration of Uncle Sam used in World War I:

"We’re aiming to really revive patriotism and pride in our heritage and but also debunk and defang a lot of these [mainstream media] attacks against our men and women," McLoughlin maintained Wednesday.

The goal: Boost deportation numbers

The DHS assistant secretary for public affairs also said nearly 5,000 new agents have been recruited. "Congress has given us this funding from that one big, beautiful bill to be hiring more than 10,000 new ICE enforcement officers," she recalled.

The goal of increasing recruitment, she added, is to increase deportations. She defined this as a virtuous cycle, because it in turn motivates selfdeportations:

"When you have more arrests, you’re going to have more self deportations, because the message is going to get out to those in this country illegally: 'You will be arrested, there will be consequences, you won’t be able to return, so get out now while you still have a shot,'" she said.