BRUNSWICK, Ga. — In the sweltering heat of Georgia, new recruits for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are undergoing rigorous training. At the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, they learn essential skills, from rescuing a wounded partner to understanding the Fourth Amendment, which governs their operations.

On a recent Thursday, media outlets were granted a rare glimpse into the Basic Immigration Law Enforcement Training Program. This program is specifically designed for recruits in the Enforcement and Removal Operations unit, which is responsible for locating, arresting, and deporting individuals from the United States.

With significant funding approved by Congress, ICE is in the midst of a major hiring initiative. The agency is set to receive $76.5 billion, nearly ten times its current annual budget, with about $30 billion allocated for new personnel. Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, announced that the agency currently employs around 6,500 deportation officers and aims to hire an additional 10,000 by the end of the year.

Concerns have arisen regarding the potential for compromised training standards due to the rapid hiring. Lyons addressed these worries, stating, "I wasn't going to water down training." He emphasized that while the agency is streamlining processes, the quality of training remains a priority.

Caleb Vitello, assistant director of ICE responsible for training, explained that recruits will undergo approximately eight weeks of training at the Georgia facility, supplemented by additional training before and after their time there. Notably, ICE has reduced Spanish-language training by five weeks, citing that recruits were only achieving moderate proficiency. Vitello mentioned that language translation technology would help bridge this gap in the field.

The training regimen is intensive. Recruits live on-site and participate in six days of training each week. They practice firearms skills in a large indoor shooting range, where they learn various shooting techniques. On the day of the media visit, the range was filled with spent shell casings as recruits practiced drawing and firing their weapons under the guidance of instructors.

Dean Wilson, who oversees firearms training, likened the challenges ICE agents face to navigating a haunted house, where unpredictability is a constant. "We do our very best to make sure that even though they're in that environment, that they have the wherewithal to make the proper decision," Wilson said.

In addition to firearms training, recruits also learn driving techniques, including how to handle skids and navigate urban environments. The curriculum emphasizes de-escalation techniques to minimize the use of force. Lyons stated, "In any type of law enforcement situation, you'd rather de-escalate with words before you have to use any use of force."

Classroom instruction is also a critical component of the training. Recruits receive about 12 hours of education on immigration law, including the Fourth Amendment and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. These lessons are vital, as immigration law is often described as complex, second only to the tax code.

ICE officials assert that they do not engage in indiscriminate enforcement actions. They clarified that probable cause is necessary for operations and that they conduct targeted actions rather than random traffic stops. Greg Hornsby, an associate legal adviser at ICE, explained, "Once local law enforcement makes a stop, and then they contact ICE saying we have somebody that we possibly think might be an alien, that's where we step in."

As ICE ramps up its hiring and training efforts, the agency is preparing to expand its operations significantly in the coming months.