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Can ICE agents retake the physical fitness test if they fail, and what is the process for retesting in 2025?
Executive Summary
ICE/HSI applicants who fail the Pre-Employment Physical Fitness Test (PFT) face differing rules depending on which guidance is followed: recent HSI guidance allows a single retest within 45 days for selectees in the hiring pipeline, with failure on a second attempt removing the candidate from the process, while older ICE pre-employment policy from 2007 states no retesting and withdrawal of the conditional offer if any test component is failed. These two lines of policy create a practical split between HSI Special Agent hiring practice as of February 6, 2025 and legacy ICE law enforcement vacancy rules from earlier documents [1] [2].
1. Clear claim: There are two competing rules and they matter to candidates now
The core factual claims extracted from the material are straightforward: HSI Special Agent selectees are permitted one retest within 45 days after failing the PFT, but a second failure removes them from the hiring process, according to a 2025 HSI briefing [1]. By contrast, a 2007 ICE preemployment fitness policy states that failing any component halts the hiring process with no retest allowed, although individuals may reapply to future vacancy announcements after improving fitness [2]. A 2020 HSI criminal investigator overview and other pages reiterate test components and a one-year waiting policy for overall assessment retakes in some contexts, adding further nuance [3].
2. Why the 2025 HSI statement changes the practical landscape for applicants
The February 6, 2025 HSI PFT guidance explicitly frames the retest rule as part of the current Special Agent selection process, outlining four timed events administered at local HSI field offices and a 45-day window to retest for selectees who fail an initial attempt [1]. That guidance is the most recent document in the supplied set and therefore carries immediate operational relevance for candidates applying to HSI Special Agent positions in 2025. The practical consequence is that applicants who narrowly miss a standard can schedule a prompt retest rather than lose their conditional offer immediately, but failure on the second try eliminates them from that hiring cycle [1].
3. Why older ICE policy still clouds the picture and where it applies
The 2007 ICE preemployment fitness rule remains in these records and explicitly prohibits retesting for candidates who fail any of the three listed events; the policy withdraws conditional employment offers and recommends reapplication in later vacancy announcements after fitness improvement [2]. That document appears tied to Office of Detention and Removal law enforcement hiring protocols and uses a different test battery than the HSI Special Agent PFT. The persistence of that older rule means different ICE components historically used different standards and retest rules, creating ambiguity about whether legacy ICE vacancy processes or other units still rely on the no-retest posture [2].
4. Distinguishing applicants, trainees, and incumbent agents — the policy gaps
None of the materials explicitly equate “ICE agent” status with the HSI Special Agent selectee pathway; the 2025 guidance refers specifically to HSI Special Agent selectees, while the 2007 policy addresses preemployment testing in ICE law enforcement hiring more broadly [1] [2]. The criminal investigator overview and other ICE pages reinforce that applicants and selectees face the PFT as part of hiring, and that unsuccessful assessments can carry a one-year restriction for retakes in some contexts, but they do not clarify retest rights for currently employed, cleared ICE agents seeking remedial testing or fitness requalification [3]. This gap means current employees should seek direct HR or field office guidance for requalification procedures.
5. What candidates should expect about timing, events, and consequences
Across the sources the PFT is described consistently as a multi-event, timed assessment with strict form and sequence requirements administered locally; candidates must present documentation and meet minimums for each event [1] [3]. Under the recent HSI process, a failed attempt triggers a mandatory retest window within 45 days, and a second failure results in removal from the hiring process [1]. Under legacy ICE preemployment rules, failing any component ends the process with no immediate retest allowed, although reapplication later is possible [2]. Candidates should therefore expect possible immediate retest if applying to HSI Special Agent roles in 2025 but must verify whether other ICE vacancy tracks still follow the older, stricter policy [1] [2].
6. Bottom line: Verify with your hiring office and plan to prepare aggressively
The decisive fact for anyone asking “can ICE agents retake the PFT in 2025?” is that retake rights depend on which ICE component and hiring policy govern the candidate’s case: HSI Special Agent selectees have a documented 45-day retest opportunity as of February 6, 2025, whereas older ICE preemployment guidance forbids retests and requires reapplication in future vacancy announcements [1] [2]. Because the documents show different regimes and the materials do not address incumbent-agent requalification, applicants and employees should confirm the applicable rule with their local HSI field office or ICE HR office and train to meet standards before testing; the most recent HSI guidance should control HSI Special Agent selection as published [1] [3].