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What are the current Physical Fitness Test (PFT) standards for new ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) agents in 2025?
Executive summary
ICE’s publicly posted PFT page (Feb 6, 2025) says the ERO/ICE pre‑employment Physical Fitness Test is a timed exam of four events and failing any single event fails the entire test; ICE frames these standards as “job‑related” and required for hire [1]. Available sources in the provided set do not list the exact four events, numeric standards, or sex/age cutoffs for new ERO agents in 2025; outside vendors and trainers (Mountain Tactical Institute) sell ERO PFT preparation plans that describe event types but are not official ICE standards [2] [3].
1. What ICE itself says: the test exists and has four timed events
ICE’s careers PFT page explicitly states the PFT is “a fitness test consisting of 4 timed events,” that failing to meet the designated minimum for any event equals failing the whole PFT, and that the standards are intended to predict an applicant’s ability to meet academy and job physical requirements [1]. That is the authoritative framing contained in the supplied ICE document — it documents the structure (four events), the pass/fail rule, and the purpose (job‑related hiring standard) [1].
2. What the sources do not provide: numeric cutoffs and event list
None of the provided ICE or DHS documents in your search results include the specific event list (e.g., run distance, push‑ups, sit‑ups, pull‑ups, sprint, etc.) nor the numeric standards or age/sex tables for ERO new hires in 2025. The 2007 PDF referenced in the results is older guidance and the 2025 detention standards focus on facility operations rather than applicant fitness standards [4] [5]. Therefore, exact pass scores and the full event descriptions are “not found in current reporting” among your supplied sources [4] [5].
3. Third‑party training providers describe event types but are not official
Commercial trainers Mountain Tactical Institute (MTI) market a 4‑week ERO PFT training plan and other ICE PFT plans describing the PFT as focused on sprinting, running, push‑ups and pull‑ups and state their plans were updated in mid‑2025 [2] [3]. These materials can indicate what trainers believe candidates should prepare for, but they are not ICE’s official standards; MTI’s descriptions do not substitute for ICE policy documentation [2] [3].
4. Related DHS procurement and other documents point to testing activity but not standards
A DHS procurement document in the search results references physical fitness testing in a contract context but does not provide the numerical pass/fail thresholds or the exact ERO event list in the available snippets [6]. Similarly, recent reporting that DHS is changing when fitness checks occur mentions that standards remain in force but does not reproduce the specific standards [7]. These sources confirm ongoing testing practices and administrative changes without supplying cutoffs [6] [7].
5. Older/archival materials exist but may be outdated
Search hits include pre‑2008 or 2007 “revised” PFT and Immigration Enforcement Agent pre‑employment fitness test documents [4] [8]. Those historic materials may contain event lists or scoring tables, but the versions in the provided results are not presented as 2025 standards and therefore cannot be assumed current without confirmation from ICE — available sources do not confirm that those exact older metrics still apply [4] [8].
6. Conflicting narratives and where to verify officially
News coverage noted debates about whether hiring surges could compromise standards; DHS responded saying the agency is not lowering standards and is moving fitness checks earlier in training [7]. That is a competing perspective: critics worry standards could be weakened under rapid expansion, while DHS maintains standards remain intact [7]. For authoritative, up‑to‑date numeric standards and event descriptions for ERO PFTs in 2025, the ICE careers PFT page points to the existence and format but does not publish cutoffs in the provided materials — the correct next step is to request the ICE PFT administration or the ICE HR/hiring PFT technical instructions, which are not present in these search results [1] [7].
7. Practical takeaway for applicants and reporters
Prepare for four timed events and expect any single failed event to result in failing the full PFT, per ICE [1]. Use trainer plans (e.g., MTI) as practice templates for running, sprinting, push‑ups and pull‑ups, but treat them as secondary sources [2] [3]. To report or advise precisely on pass scores, age/sex adjustments, or event distances/times, obtain the ICE PFT technical manual or an ICE recruitment HR FAQ not included among the supplied documents — current provided sources do not include those specifics [1] [4].