Amid escalating global instability and fears of World War III, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may be eligible to avoid being drafted, a situation that has provoked widespread public frustration.
Worries over a potential draft and large-scale conflict have intensified after seven U.S. citizens were killed in the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli bombings in Iran over the past seven days. As the debate on the eligibility of U.S. citizens to be drafted into the military continues, many Americans have been enraged upon learning of a surprising loophole in the Selective Service System.
The law demands that all male citizens and immigrants in the U.S. register with the government within 30 days after they turn 18 years old. Immigrants could be subject to the draft despite the immigration policy of the Trump administration.
— Harish Chandra (@HarishChan20246) March 10, 2026
Individuals in critical occupations can be granted an occupational deferment if the draft is initiated. These occupations include first responders like police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service employees. ICE officers and federal immigration agents may also qualify for occupational deferments granted based on the needs of the country during the time of the draft.
This is based on the scale or intensity of the conflict, the skills of the individual, and the individual’s importance to the local community. Individuals in critical occupations, like paramedics in a community that is in great need of these services, have a higher chance of being granted deferments compared to people in non-critical occupations.
Social media users quickly called on the Trump administration to include ICE officers in any potential draft scenario. One user commented, “If Trump wants boots on the ground in Iran, he should deploy the ICE agents. They’ve spent months in American cities strutting around like elite military forces. Let’s see how (…) courageous they really are. They can even wear their masks. Now is the time.”
Another user said, “This should be a suggestion at the next press conference. They don’t need basic training because it’s overrated. They can watch a few YouTube videos,” adding, “RFK Jr can give them tips and then just drop them all in the middle of Tehran and let them demonstrate their superiority. Easy peasy,”
There are some groups of men who are not required to register for a potential draft. These groups include non-immigrants in the United States who are holding a student visa, a tourist visa, a visitor visa, or a diplomatic visa; those who are actively serving in the military; and cadets or midshipmen at service academies or military colleges in the United States.
— Harish Chandra (@HarishChan20246) March 10, 2026
In contrast, clergymen and male students who are training for the ministry, as well as sole surviving sons and “only sons,” are required to register for the draft, but they are then eligible to receive deferments if a draft is reinstated.
However, there is no military draft in the United States as of now. To impose the draft, Congress must pass legislation that compels citizens to join the military. However, Congress has not authorized military action against Iran.
The last time the U.S. government called its draftees was in December 1972, when the country was fighting the Vietnam War. The public is concerned about the draft after a seventh American died in the conflict with Iran over the weekend.
