Home/cascade-timeline/ICE Announces Workforce Doubled to 22,000 Agents Through "Defend Your Culture" Recruitment Campaign

ICE Announces Workforce Doubled to 22,000 Agents Through "Defend Your Culture" Recruitment Campaigntimeline_event

icepropagandadeportationrecruitmentdhsworkforce-expansiongaming-cultureradicalization-pipeline
2026-01-03 · 1 min read · Edit on Pyrite

type: timeline_event

ICE announced its workforce more than doubled from 10,000 to 22,000 agents in less than a year, crediting the unprecedented recruitment campaign launched under the "Stronger Border, Stronger America" initiative. DHS received over 150,000 applications from what it called "patriotic Americans."

Recruitment Tactics: The campaign used "Call of Duty"-style recruitment videos featuring helmet camera footage, dramatic music, and military aesthetics. Per leaked DHS documents, ads targeted:

  • Gun show attendees (geo-fencing)
  • UFC fight viewers
  • "Patriotic podcast" listeners
  • People with "interest in guns and tactical gear"
  • "Conservative-leaning" lifestyles
  • Military and veterans' affairs interests

    • Messaging:

  • "America has been invaded by criminals and predators. We need YOU to get them out."
  • "Protect your homeland and defend your culture."
  • "Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, we've reclaimed our border, secured our nation, and have begun to deport these foreign invaders."
  • References to Halo video game and Sicario film

    • Criticism:

  • CNN described videos as "propaganda" with "militaristic action" content
  • Critics said campaign "would only attract MAGA radicals"
  • Long Beach, California transit removed ICE recruitment ads, apologized for "uncertainty and fear"
  • Pop artists Sabrina Carpenter ("evil and disgusting"), Olivia Rodrigo ("racist, hateful propaganda"), and MGMT issued copyright takedowns after their music was used
  • The Intercept reported DHS shifted to "niche, neo-Nazi-beloved music" after mainstream artists objected

    • Significance: The recruitment campaign represents the endpoint of the Gamergate-to-government pipeline: using gaming culture aesthetics, aggressive demographic targeting, and "defend your culture" messaging to build a workforce predisposed to aggressive enforcement. Four days after this announcement, one of the newly recruited agents killed American citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis.