Are there any ICE agent positions that do not require a top-secret security clearance?

1. What “security clearance” means inside ICE

ICE distinguishes between a suitability determination (are you fit to be an ICE employee) and a security clearance (are you eligible to access classified national‑security information), and the agency says the latter is tied to the position’s need for classified access rather than to all hires universally ^[1]. ICE’s personnel vetting page reiterates that all hires undergo comprehensive background checks but that only positions deemed “sensitive national security” or requiring classified access trigger clearance adjudication ^[2]. DHS-level guidance also confirms applicants do not need a clearance to apply and that clearance processing happens after a tentative offer if the job requires it ^[4].

2. Which front-line “agent” roles commonly require clearances

ICE’s public-facing accounts and podcasts make clear that many of the traditional enforcement and investigative roles — notably Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) criminal investigators (special agents), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers, intelligence analysts and certain attorneys — are routinely processed as clearance holders because their duties can involve classified programs or national‑security information ^{[5] [1]}. That does not automatically mean “Top Secret” for every employee in those job titles, but it does mean those job series are subject to security‑eligibility adjudication and are likelier than a generic support role to require a higher level of clearance depending on assignment ^{[5] [2]}.

3. Where Top Secret is required — and where it often isn’t

Sources show that the level of clearance is role‑ and assignment‑dependent: ICE states that whether a position requires Secret, Top Secret, or Top Secret/SCI hinges on how much classified information the job needs to access, and many positions do not require classified access at all ^{[2] [1]}. DHS career guidance makes explicit that applicants do not need a clearance to apply and that clearance is initiated only if the specific appointment requires it ^[4]. In short, mission‑support roles (administration, some IT, certain business operations), many contractor posts, and some ICE positions that never touch classified programs typically do not require a Top Secret clearance — though they still face suitability vetting ^{[1] [6]}.

4. Mixed messages from third‑party job sites and recruiting copy

Commercial job summaries and aggregator sites sometimes overgeneralize, claiming “most positions require Top Secret,” which can mislead applicants because they do not reflect ICE’s position‑by‑position clearance policy and may conflate job series with particular assignments that do carry higher clearances ^{[7] [8]}. ICE’s own recruitment materials and FAQs present a more nuanced picture: clearance requirements are determined by position and, when applicable, processed after a tentative offer — not a universal Top Secret requirement for every hire ^{[3] [1]}.

5. Practical advice and reporting limits

Anyone evaluating ICE opportunities should read the specific USAJOBS announcement for clearance language because vacancy notices explicitly list required sensitivity/clearance levels and pre‑employment steps; ICE’s careers and vetting pages explain that the timeline and level of security vetting vary by post ^{[3] [2]}. The reporting consulted here does not enumerate every ICE job title that lacks Top Secret requirements, so definitive lists cannot be produced from these sources alone; agency job announcements remain the authoritative place to confirm whether a given position requires Top Secret access ^{[3] [4]}.