An artificial intelligence error in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recruitment system misclassified thousands of applicants as experienced law enforcement officers, sending many into field offices without proper training, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the error.
At a Glance
- AI tool misread résumés, labeling non-officers as experienced cops
- Misclassified recruits received only four weeks of online training instead of the required eight-week in-person course
- ICE must now bring some agents back to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia
- Why it matters: Untrained officers are operating in American cities amid a surge in immigration arrests
The AI tool was designed to scan résumés for potential applicants with law enforcement experience, flagging them for ICE’s “LEO program” – a four-week online training track for recruits already working as officers. Applicants without such backgrounds are supposed to attend an eight-week in-person academy covering immigration law, firearms handling, and physical fitness.
“They were using AI to scan résumés and found out a bunch of the people who were LEOs weren’t LEOs,” one official said. The system routed anyone with the word “officer” on their résumé – including compliance officers or aspirants – into the shorter program.
The majority of the 10,000 new hires were tagged as experienced officers, yet many had never served in any police or federal agency. Both officials stressed that ICE field offices provide additional training before agents hit the streets, and those flagged by the AI likely received that extra instruction. Neither official was authorized to speak publicly and spoke to Robert K. Lawson on condition of anonymity.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. The mistake surfaced in mid-fall, more than a month into ICE’s hiring surge. The agency immediately began manual reviews of new-hire résumés and is now bringing some officers back to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
It remains unclear how many officers were improperly trained or how many may have already begun making immigration arrests.
Training Rush Amid Enforcement Surge
The error emerges as ICE deploys thousands of new agents across U.S. cities under White House pressure to increase deportations. In Minneapolis alone, over 2,000 ICE officers have been sent since late November, resulting in more than 2,400 arrests, according to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. Minnesota has filed suit to remove DHS from the state.
The accelerated timeline has also seen some recruits enter training before completing full background checks, News Of Philadelphia previously reported.
Hiring Target Met on Paper Only
Congress allocated funds under the One Big Beautiful Bill, allowing ICE to offer $50,000 signing bonuses. The agency reached its 10,000-officer target by the end of 2025 on paper, but the AI misclassification means the actual number of fully trained officers on the street is lower.
| Requirement | Experienced Officers | Non-Experienced Officers |
|---|---|---|
| Training Length | 4 weeks online | 8 weeks in-person |
| Location | Remote | FLETC, Georgia |
| Curriculum | Abbreviated | Immigration law, firearms, fitness |
The officials could not specify how many officers require retraining. The AI tool is no longer the primary method for categorizing résumés.
Key Takeaways
- ICE’s AI shortcut created a training gap that could affect field readiness
- Manual résumé reviews are now standard to prevent further misclassifications
- The agency must balance rapid hiring mandates with proper vetting and instruction
