Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What is the training academy like for new ICE officers?
Executive summary
ICE’s entry-level deportation officers (ERO) train at the ICE Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia through the Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program (BIETP), a program ICE describes as 16 weeks long with a required 25-day Spanish course or demonstrated proficiency [1] [2]. Reporting from outlets and independent commentators describes conflicting changes and pressures: some accounts say the program and vetting have been shortened or accelerated amid a large hiring surge, producing higher washout rates on fitness and academic standards [3] [4] [5].
1. What the official academy experience looks like
ICE’s materials and the BIETP description present a structured academy at FLETC/Glynco: instructors are largely seasoned deportation officers, detention supervisors and ICE legal advisors; the BIETP provides mandatory entry-level training for ERO officers, and completion is required before officers enforce immigration law [1] [6] [2]. ICE handbooks note academy rules on grooming, attire, weapons handling, and that trainees will face academic, practical exercises, physical assessments and conduct standards—failure of which can make a trainee ineligible for ERO employment [7] [2].
2. Curriculum highlights and skill emphasis
ICE emphasizes removal-procedure training—from arrest through execution of removal orders—plus field tactics, Criminal Alien Program procedures and legal instruction by Office of the Principal Legal Advisor attorneys [1]. Separate HSI and agent tracks also feature physical conditioning, tactical techniques and firearms training; ICE describes mentor programs for agents in related academies [8]. A PBS report notes classroom instruction on constitutional limits (e.g., Fourth Amendment) and the Immigration and Nationality Act as part of the academy program [9].
3. Spanish-language and legal competency requirements
ICE’s BIETP includes a 25-day Spanish-language course for trainees, with the option to test out by demonstrating proficiency—signaling an operational emphasis on language skills for fieldwork [1]. Academic exams on immigration law and constitutional limits are reported as part of the standards trainees must meet [3].
4. Physical fitness and pass/fail consequences
Multiple sources indicate the program enforces physical standards (push-ups, sit-ups, timed run metrics cited in reporting) and that fitness testing is a common cause of trainees washing out; one account reports a high failure rate on the 1.5-mile run [3] [4]. Official BIETP materials stress that physical abilities assessments are mandatory and tied to continued eligibility [2].
5. Tensions around accelerated hiring and shortened training
Independent reporting and commentary say the academy’s course length and vetting process have been altered during a rapid hiring surge: The Atlantic and related commentary claim the academy timeline was cut from months to roughly six–seven weeks for some cohorts and that DHS intends to fast-track experienced officers, while other reporting and analysis raise concerns about recruits arriving without full vetting [3] [4] [5]. ICE/ DHS statements quoted in reporting push back, saying many hires are experienced officers processed differently and that some figures cited “are not accurate” [5].
6. Accountability, washout data, and conflicting narratives
NBC reporting and follow-ups indicate some recruits were dismissed during training for criminal charges, failed drug tests or fitness/academic failures, and that academy staff discovered recruits who lacked prior fingerprinting or vetting [5]. Commentators and critics characterize these findings as evidence of systemic problems tied to the hiring surge [4]. ICE’s own communications emphasize the academy’s standards and role in enforcing policy, and ICE materials characterize instructors and training as preparing officers for life-or-death decisions [6] [1].
7. What’s missing or contested in available reporting
Available sources do not mention comprehensive, publicly released statistics on overall pass/fail rates across all recent academy classes, nor do they provide a definitive, agency-published comparison of training lengths pre- and post-hiring surge with official dates and cohort sizes—reporting relies on interviews, internal emails, and secondary analysis (not found in current reporting). Where accounts conflict—DHS statements vs. investigative reporting—both positions are present in the record: agency pushback that many hires are seasoned officers vs. independent claims that vetting and training have been truncated [5] [3].
8. Practical takeaways for someone curious about the academy
If you ask what new ICE officers learn and face: official ICE documents and BIETP rules show a formal, multi-week program with legal, tactical, language and physical components and strict conduct and assessment standards [1] [2] [7]. If you ask whether the academy has recently changed under a hiring surge: multiple independent reports and commentators argue the process has been accelerated and that this produced vetting and fitness shortfalls; DHS/ICE push back on some specifics—so expect continued dispute and look for formal DHS/ICE statistics for definitive confirmation [3] [5] [4].