Border Patrol chief says 2026 will be 'very big year' with recruitment of over 10,000 new ICE agents

WASHINGTON, DC: Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino is already looking past the calendar.

Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity Special on Tuesday, December 30, Bovino pegged 2026 as a turning point for interior immigration enforcement, with thousands of new agents set to hit the streets and operations expanding coast to coast.

Thousands of new agents, higher morale

Bovino, who leads Operation At Large for California and has overseen a string of recent raids in major US cities, laid out an aggressive roadmap involving ICE, Border Patrol, and allied law enforcement teams nationwide.

“2026 is going to be a big year, a very big year,” Bovino told host Tomi Lahren. “We've got a lot of operations planned, whether that's ICE or Border Patrol and those allied law enforcement teams all across the United States. Whether it's Minnesota and the fraud, or Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago, Los Angeles—those operations continue, we're gonna ramp up.”

According to the Border Patrol chief, federal immigration enforcement is preparing for a major staffing boost that he says will supercharge operations nationwide.

“You know, we have ten thousand new ICE agents coming on board, several thousand US Border Patrol agents coming on board. And that morale is high. We've got a mission, and we're gonna go after that mission. We're not going anywhere. 2026 is gonna be huge,” he declared.

Recent operations under Bovino’s command have already stretched far beyond California, including raids in Evanston, Illinois, and New Orleans, where agents faced resistance in jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Chicago remains ground zero

Earlier this year, a temporary judicial restriction on ICE activities in Chicago was lifted, clearing the way for resuming operations in the city. Those efforts included the use of pepper ball deployments in immigrant neighborhoods.

Bovino has repeatedly blasted sanctuary-style policies, arguing they put federal agents at greater risk. On Tuesday, he made it clear that Chicago is not a short-term assignment. He said federal immigration enforcement officers will remain in the Windy City “for years,” even after months of controversy tied to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

“If you think we’re done with Chicago, you’d better check yourself before you wreck yourself,” Bovino posted on X. “Don’t call it a comeback; we’re gonna be here for years,” he added.

That post was accompanied by a video showing immigration officers chasing, tackling, and arresting people to the tune of LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.”

Meanwhile, clashes involving the Chicago Police Department have created confusion for federal agencies operating in the city. In early October, 27 Chicago officers were “affected” by chemical agents deployed by federal officers during a clash with protesters.

But despite the friction, Bovino insists the federal government is staying the course.

“Don’t worry, Chicago, we will be here for YEARS!” Bovino wrote in another post last week. “Despite calls for violence against our agents, the brave men and women of the United States Border Patrol have come together and developed serious plans to help Chicago rid their streets of criminal illegal aliens. We work for YOU,” he added.

Deportations and data sharing

Bovino’s comments cap off a year marked by sweeping enforcement numbers. In fiscal 2025, the federal government set new records as it reported over 622,000 deportations and 1.9 million self-deportations.

Meanwhile, a recent federal court ruling cleared the way for limited sharing of Medicaid data with ICE. The data includes addresses and basic information on undocumented enrollees, and is expected to aid targeting efforts as enforcement ramps up.