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.
Fact check: How does the total compensation package for an ICE agent vary based on level of experience and position in 2025?
Executive Summary
The total compensation package for an ICE law enforcement officer in 2025 varies widely by experience, grade, locality pay, and position, with published salary tables showing annual pay ranges roughly from the mid-$20,000s to upwards of $190,000 depending on grade and step, plus law-enforcement incentives, overtime, and bonuses. Recent 2025 announcements also added a 2.13% across‑the‑board increase and a new DHS reimbursement program for 287(g) agencies that can affect effective pay for certain local officers through salary reimbursement and quarterly performance bonuses [1] [2] [3].
1. Pay ranges that jump from entry-level to senior leadership — the headline numbers that matter
Federal salary tables released in 2025 show annual pay spans that are very broad, with lowest step rates in the mid‑$20,000s and top steps reaching approximately $190,000 or more, reflecting grade and step differences across law enforcement series [1] [4] [5]. These tables also note a 2.13% total increase effective January 2025, which raises baseline pay across steps and grades, and locality pay adjustments differ by area—Rest of U.S., Albuquerque area, etc.—so two officers with the same grade and step can have materially different base pay based on location [1] [4] [5].
2. Experience and position drive grade/step placement — why totals climb with tenure
The salary tables imply that experience maps to grades and steps, so total compensation grows through standard federal step increases and promotions to higher grades; the presented ranges therefore capture progression from entry-level to senior positions where higher grades account for much of the top-end pay [1] [4]. In addition to base pay, ICE law enforcement officers receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) at 25% for covered positions and other position-specific incentives that substantially increase total cash compensation beyond base salary, meaning that two officers with similar base pay can still differ significantly in total cash due to assigned duties and eligibility for LEAP [3].
3. Recruitment incentives and signing bonuses — immediate cash for new hires
ICE and DHS recruitment packages introduced in 2025 include large up‑front incentives: a maximum $50,000 signing bonus plus student loan repayment and forgiveness options for qualifying hires, aimed at attracting applicants and widening the candidate pool [3]. These incentives change the effective first‑year compensation calculus for recruits because they convert non‑recurring cash or debt relief into a tangible addition to total compensation, which may be especially influential for early-career entrants comparing ICE pay versus local policing or private-sector alternatives [3] [6].
4. Overtime, locality pay, and performance bonuses — the variable elements that shift totals
Overtime and locality pay are significant variables: overtime can add up to 25% reimbursed in the new 287(g) reimbursement program for participating local agencies, and ICE agents commonly receive overtime plus locality adjustments that reflect metropolitan cost-of-living differences [2] [6]. The DHS reimbursement program also contemplates quarterly performance bonuses of $500–$1,000 per officer, which, while modest relative to base, create recurring supplemental pay that raises realized compensation for officers in participating jurisdictions and can change employers’ incentives to participate in immigration enforcement programs [2].
5. Retirement, benefits, and non-cash compensation — often overlooked value
Beyond paychecks, ICE agents receive enhanced retirement benefits typical of federal law enforcement, along with health insurance and other federal employee benefits that materially affect lifetime compensation and retention calculus [3] [6]. These benefits are particularly important for mid‑ and late‑career employees whose total compensation package must be evaluated not just by current salary but by pension accruals, insurance coverage, and loan repayment programs; differences in benefit generosity can alter comparisons between positions and inform decisions about promotion timing and career moves [3].
6. Local partnerships and the 287(g) reimbursement program — shifting who effectively pays salaries
A DHS program beginning October 1, 2025, promises reimbursement to participating local 287(g)-trained agencies for full salaries, benefits, and up to 25% overtime, plus performance bonuses, which effectively shifts fiscal responsibility and could expand local law‑enforcement participation by reducing local budgetary costs [2]. This program changes the compensation landscape for officers assigned under 287(g) by creating a pathway for local salaries to be matched or supplemented by federal reimbursement; observers should note this can create incentives for jurisdictions to allocate personnel differently and influence reported “ICE-related” compensation totals depending on source accounting [2].
7. Conflicting coverage and gaps — what the present data does not fully resolve
The sourced analyses collectively assert broad pay ranges, bonuses, and programmatic changes but leave gaps on standardized averages and concrete, role-specific total compensation such as median compensation by years of service, typical overtime earnings, and how signing bonuses are distributed across roles [7]. The reporting signals policy changes and large ranges, but stakeholders seeking a single definitive total compensation figure for an ICE agent by experience level must reconcile salary tables, locality adjustments, bonus programs, and benefit valuations to produce comparable estimates; absent unified disclosure, reported totals will vary with which elements (base, overtime, bonuses, benefits) are included [1] [3].