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Fact check: What are the specific physical fitness requirements for ICE agents, such as running times and lifting weights?
Executive Summary
The ICE law-enforcement applicant physical fitness test requires four timed events: 32 sit-ups in 1 minute, 22 push-ups in 1 minute, a 220-yard sprint in 47.73 seconds, and a 1.5-mile run in 14 minutes 25 seconds; candidates must pass these to be eligible for hire [1] [2]. Multiple recent reports reiterate the same numeric standards and note the test’s role in removing age limits from recruitment, with coverage dated February–August 2025 [1] [3] [2].
1. What the official fitness battery actually contains — nuts and bolts that matter
ICE’s entry-level physical fitness evaluation is a short, standardized battery of four events designed to measure distinct fitness domains: muscular endurance (sit-ups, push-ups), anaerobic power (220-yard sprint), and aerobic capacity (1.5-mile run). The stated cutoffs are 32 sit-ups in 60 seconds, 22 push-ups in 60 seconds, 220 yards in 47.73 seconds, and 1.5 miles in 14:25; applicants must meet these minimums to proceed in the hiring process [1]. Reporting across February–August 2025 consistently repeats these figures, indicating stable policy language during that period [1] [3].
2. Why these particular events were chosen — what each event measures
The four-event structure is explicitly tied to distinct physiological capacities: sit-ups and push-ups gauge muscular strength and endurance, the 220-yard sprint gauges anaerobic power and speed, and the 1.5-mile run assesses cardiovascular endurance. The combined battery is intended to approximate the varied physical demands ICE officers might encounter in operational settings. This interpretive framing accompanies the published standards in reporting from February and August 2025 and appears to be the operational rationale behind the test design [2] [1].
3. How the standards have been presented in recent reporting — consistency and timeline
Multiple outlets in early and mid-2025 reproduced identical numeric standards, with primary references dated February 6, 2025 and August 6–7, 2025. The repeated restatement of 32 sit-ups, 22 push-ups, 47.73-second sprint, and 14:25 run across those dates suggests the requirements were publicly stable through that window [1] [3] [2]. Reporting in August tied the fitness test to a policy change removing age limits for applicants, underlining the test’s importance as the gate for fitness irrespective of age [3].
4. What the documentation does not say — notable omissions applicants should know
Available summaries list event minimums but do not provide scoring tables, age- or sex-adjusted standards, retest policies, or official training guidance. The sources repeat uniform numeric cutoffs without detailing whether alternate standards or accommodations exist or how failures are handled administratively. The absence of these procedural specifics in February–August 2025 reporting means applicants lack clarity on retake windows, tryout frequency, or whether additional strength standards—such as lifting specific weights—are part of other phases of selection [1].
5. How the fitness test interacts with recent recruitment policy changes
August 2025 reporting frames the fitness test as the primary physical gate following a policy change that removed age limits for recruitment, allowing applicants of any age to join provided they pass the fitness battery [3]. That framing implies the agency is shifting emphasis from age cutoffs to demonstrable physical capability, using the four-event test as an objective, uniform threshold. Coverage from February and August 2025 consistently links the battery to hiring eligibility, underscoring its centrality to applicant screening [2] [1].
6. Varied ways outlets framed the same facts — spotting potential agendas
Different reports presented the identical standards but emphasized different narratives: some outlets highlighted recruitment flexibility and opportunity tied to removing age limits, while others focused on operational readiness and physical demands. This divergence suggests editorial agendas—either pro-recruitment access or pro-standards maintenance—though the underlying numeric requirements remained the same across February–August 2025 citations [3] [1].
7. Practical takeaway for applicants — preparing for what’s confirmed and what’s unclear
Candidates should prepare to meet the clearly stated event minimums—32 sit-ups/60s, 22 push-ups/60s, 220yd sprint ≤47.73s, 1.5mi run ≤14:25—because these are repeatedly cited as the pass threshold in 2025 reporting. At the same time, applicants should seek agency guidance for unanswered questions—retake rules, sex/age adjustments, and any later-stage weight-lifting standards—since the summarized sources do not provide that procedural detail [1] [2].