Kristi Noem kills age cap for ICE — letting teenagers join the force and get guns

The Department of Homeland Security announced that as part of its reportedly desperate effort to recruit more agents for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) it is not only eliminating the age cap, but it's lifting the age requirement for agents.

In a statement released Wednesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said, “We are ENDING the age cap for ICE law enforcement. Qualified candidates can now apply with no age limit."

Some states require that one be 21 years old to carry a gun. ICE agents are issued a weapon.

Funding in the 2026 budget legislation, known as the "big, beautiful bill," accounted for 50,000 new ICE agents to meet President Donald Trump's quota of migrants deported from the U.S.

One ICE field office announced a program to hand out cash for the number of migrants quickly deported, but after reporters began asking questions at DHS, the office announced it was withdrawing the program.

The Trump administration also announced that it was reassigning FEMA employees during hurricane and wildfire seasons to shift them to ICE. If they don't make the change, they face losing their jobs entirely.