Fact check: How often do ICE agents have to pass physical fitness tests during their career?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, ICE agents are required to pass physical fitness tests only during the initial hiring and training process, not on a recurring basis throughout their careers. Multiple sources confirm that ICE law enforcement recruits must pass a pre-employment Physical Fitness Test (PFT) before entering on duty and attending the HSI Academy ^[1]. Additionally, recruits must pass the test again to graduate from the academy ^[1].

However, none of the sources provide information about ongoing physical fitness testing requirements during an agent's career ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. The analyses consistently indicate that while physical fitness standards exist for recruitment, there is no documented requirement for periodic retesting once agents are employed.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important gaps in available information:

• No documentation of career-long fitness requirements: While ICE agents undergo rigorous physical testing during recruitment, there appears to be no publicly available information about whether they must maintain these standards through periodic testing ^{[1] [3]}.
• Comparison to other law enforcement agencies: The sources do not provide context about how ICE's fitness requirements compare to other federal law enforcement agencies, which might have different ongoing fitness standards.
• Recent policy changes: One source mentions that Secretary Noem unveiled changes removing age limits for ICE recruitment ^[2], but the analyses don't clarify how this might affect physical fitness requirements for current agents.
• Different ICE divisions: The sources mention both HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) agents and ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) deportation officers ^[3], but don't clarify if fitness requirements differ between these divisions during their careers.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question assumes that ICE agents do have to pass physical fitness tests "during their career," which may be incorrect based on available evidence. The question's phrasing suggests ongoing testing requirements that are not supported by the analyzed sources ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.

The question could be interpreted as seeking to either:

• Criticize ICE for potentially lacking ongoing fitness standards
• Defend ICE by highlighting rigorous physical requirements

However, the available evidence suggests that ICE's physical fitness requirements are front-loaded during the hiring process rather than maintained through career-long testing, which differs from the assumption embedded in the original question.