MIRAMAR, Fla. — Local 10 has obtained a letter sent by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to former federal officers in South Florida, recruiting them to join the agency.
This comes amid reports that ICE is also recruiting current officers and deputies around the state, asking them to leave their department for ICE.
The Miramar ICE office is one of many nationwide that will gain more agents as the agency begins a massive expansion.
As the president’s “Big Beautiful Bill” gives ICE $75 billion in new funding, it’s now rapidly trying to hire 10,000 more agents.
The recruitment letter is calling it an urgent call to join, touting an incentive of up to $50,000 for those who sign up.
This coming as reports surface that ICE’s deputy director has also emailed deputies and officers in Florida, and other states, currently in law enforcement.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in a news conference Friday, reacted to reports that multiple law enforcement leaders are frustrated that ICE is recruiting their officers.
“I know some sheriffs have had concerns that that’s happening,” said DeSantis. “It’s like, hey, we’ve been doing all this stuff to help you guys and now you’re trying to poach our people who are already in the fight. Why not recruit additional people to be supplementing that instead of just kind of displacing?”
Polk and Pinellas County sheriffs were among those upset that their deputies reportedly got the letter.
“Now if you’re in a situation where those folks are being poached off of that mission, well, it’s like, wait a minute, how was that,” said DeSantis.
Local 10 News reached out to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office and Broward Sheriff’s Office, and both said they’re not aware of their deputies getting the letter.
Fort Lauderdale police said they couldn’t provide an answer by Local 10’s air time, and Miami police had not responded as of the time of this story’s publishing.
Local 10 also reached out to ICE, asking what officers and deputies in Florida may have received the letter, but have not heard back.
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