Immigration and Customs Enforcement hired officers with questionable backgrounds during an unprecedented recruitment drive to double its workforce as part of President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, an Associated Press investigation found.

ICE received $75 billion from Congress and launched a hiring spree to add 12,000 new officers and special agents, drawing more than 220,000 applications. The agency promised signing bonuses up to $50,000 and advertised that college degrees were not required as it sought to rapidly expand operations.

The AP examined the backgrounds of more than 40 recently hired ICE officers who publicly disclosed their new positions on LinkedIn. While most had conventional law enforcement backgrounds, several had concerning histories including bankruptcies, unpaid debts leading to legal action, and allegations of misconduct in previous law enforcement roles.

Among the new hires was Carmine Gurliacci, who filed for bankruptcy twice and worked at six Georgia law enforcement agencies in three years before joining ICE. Another hire, Andrew Penland, left his Kansas sheriff's deputy position after facing a lawsuit alleging he arrested a woman on false charges, resulting in a $75,000 settlement. A third hire, Antonio Barrett, initially failed to graduate from a police academy and worked only three weeks as a police officer.

The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that some applicants received job offers before completing full background checks, stating that 'vetting is an ongoing process.' Former ICE official Claire Trickler-McNulty warned that rushed vetting increases risks of misconduct and abuse of power.

Former ICE academy instructor Ryan Schwank testified that training requirements were reduced, including cuts to use-of-force and firearms safety instruction. ICE denied removing training requirements, stating new recruits receive 56 days of training plus 28 days of on-the-job training. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended the hiring campaign during congressional testimony, calling the workforce 'well-trained and well-vetted.'