Fact Check: Did Donald Trump’s administration offer student loan forgiveness to ICE recruits?

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid mounting controversy over President Donald Trump’s sweeping deportation drive in July 2025, news of generous new hiring incentives at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began circulating widely. One rumor that caught public attention was the inclusion of student loan repayment benefits for new recruits.

As critics questioned the feasibility of hiring 10,000 new ICE agents, given the agency’s persistent recruitment struggles, the announcement sparked both interest and debate. But is it true? Did Trump approve student loan forgiveness for ICE agents?

A viral rumor claims that ICE offers loan repayment benefits for new recruits

A rumor that recently gained traction online claimed that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had newly introduced student loan repayment or forgiveness benefits as part of President Donald Trump’s 2025 mass deportation recruitment drive.

Many social media users interpreted this as a newly launched incentive by the Trump administration to help fill 10,000 new ICE positions, and some criticized it as hypocritical or politically motivated. 

One widely circulated post on X by user @BaileyCarline included a screenshot of a recruitment message stating that ICE is offering a “robust package” of federal law enforcement incentives, including: a $50,000 signing bonus, student loan repayment and forgiveness options, 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) for HSI Special Agents, Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) for Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers, and enhanced retirement benefits.

The post was captioned, “They are forgiving your student loans if you join ICE,” followed by a sarcastic remark: “Cannot even make up something so hypocritical.”

Fact Check: True, DHS confirms student loan repayment and forgiveness options

The claim that ICE offers student loan repayment options is real and accurate.

In a news release published on July 29, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that “student loan repayment and forgiveness options” are part of a broader recruitment package, which also includes a signing bonus of up to $50,000 and enhanced retirement benefits. 

“This is a defining moment in our nation’s history,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in the release. “Your country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women to help remove the worst of the worst criminals from our country. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”

The Department of Homeland Security has received significant funding through President Donald Trump’s recently signed “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This financial boost is fueling a new ICE recruitment campaign launched Tuesday, titled “Defend the Homeland.”

Although the July 2025 announcement was tied to a new national recruitment campaign, the student loan repayment program itself is not new. According to an internal ICE directive dated January 3, 2008, the agency had already established formal policies and procedures for repaying certain federally insured student loans for new recruits, provided they agreed to remain in service for at least 36 months.

While the benefit resurfaced amid Trump’s push to hire 10,000 new ICE agents, it’s important to note that student loan repayment has been part of ICE’s benefits package long before Trump’s second term.