New ICE hires have taken to social media to express frustration over missing paychecks, hiring bonuses, and health insurance weeks after starting work. This information comes from a private Reddit forum and reports by International Business Times UK.
IBTimes UK noted that employees posting in the locked subreddit r/ICE_ERO shared experiences of delayed pay, confusion about bonuses, and periods without health coverage that forced some families to pay out of pocket for medical care. The complaints surfaced after a major recruitment effort expanded the agency’s workforce.
One widely shared screenshot showed a new hire stating that, after two months on the job, they still lacked health insurance and had “a sick daughter with no insurance.” Another post discussed going four weeks without a paycheck. A different thread mentioned a signing bonus that fell well below expectations after taxes and deductions, according to IBTimes UK and screenshots shared by The Daily Dot.
The Daily Dot noted it could not independently confirm the identities of the Reddit users. It pointed out that anyone could claim to be an ICE employee online. IBTimes UK also framed the posts as claims from individuals identifying themselves as ICE staff.
These complaints undermine a recruitment campaign that highlighted financial incentives and benefits while the Trump administration aimed to quickly increase immigration enforcement capacity. Last year, the Associated Press reported that the Department of Homeland Security launched a campaign offering up to $50,000 in signing bonuses, overtime opportunities for specific roles, and options for student loan repayment or forgiveness.
Government Executive reported in early January that ICE more than doubled its workforce in 2025, bringing in about 12,000 new hires after reviewing over 220,000 applications. The agency offered $50,000 signing bonuses, expanded student loan repayment incentives, and removed age limits, using direct-hire authority to speed up staffing.
The online grievances focused on basic onboarding processes, including payroll, benefits enrollment, and incentive processing. IBTimes UK reported that some users were still waiting for their health insurance to activate, and at least one employee struggled to cover medical costs for a child while the benefits issue remained unresolved. The Daily Dot said the shared screenshots included complaints about delayed benefits and late pay.
The reports also raised questions about how signing bonuses function, including vesting schedules and conditions tied to incentive agreements. The Daily Dot cited online comments referring to “fine print” in bonus arrangements, though it did not verify specific contracts.
ICE’s rapid hiring has attracted attention beyond pay and benefits. Government Executive reported that ICE shortened training for some staff and that the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general was investigating the agency’s hiring and training practices to determine if they could meet operational needs.
Neither IBTimes UK nor The Daily Dot reported any public response from ICE regarding the specific complaints discussed in the Reddit posts. In earlier recruitment messages, DHS officials claimed the agency provides competitive federal pay and benefits to attract applicants.
The issue arose as ICE continues to expand operations nationwide under Trump’s immigration policies and seeks to maintain momentum from its recruiting efforts. For now, the online posts have revealed administrative challenges that new hires did not expect after signing up for what the government marketed as stable federal jobs.
