Kristi Noem Allows Untrained ICE Goons Bypass Crucial Training — Pushes Them Into the Field Without Any Vetting

January 15, 2026 Justin Peters

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s ambitious and high-pressure campaign to hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers has been significantly undermined by a serious and embarrassing technical failure: an artificial intelligence tool used to screen applicants misclassified large numbers of candidates with no prior law enforcement experience as trained officers.

The error allowed many unqualified recruits to bypass the agency’s standard eight-week in-person training program and be fast-tracked into the field with only four weeks of abbreviated online instruction, according to multiple officials who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity.

The AI system, implemented to accelerate the massive recruitment effort, was designed to automatically identify candidates with prior law enforcement backgrounds—qualifying them for the shorter “Law Enforcement Officer” (LEO) training track.

Applicants without such experience are required to complete a rigorous eight-week, in-person course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia, which includes intensive instruction in immigration law, firearms handling, defensive tactics, arrest procedures, physical fitness, and use-of-force protocols.

Instead, the AI tool misread common resume keywords and phrases—such as “compliance officer,” “officer,” or even generic statements about aspiring to become an “officer”—and erroneously classified a substantial portion of applicants as having relevant law enforcement experience.

Officials told NBC News that the majority of new recruits were misclassified by the system, even though many had no prior credentials in law enforcement or related fields.

One official described the scope of the mistake bluntly: “They were using AI to scan résumés and found out a bunch of the people who were LEOs weren’t LEOs.” The error was discovered in mid-fall—more than a month into the recruitment surge—and ICE has since shifted to manual résumé reviews while directing affected recruits to return to FLETC for full training.

The department has not publicly disclosed the exact number of recruits improperly fast-tracked or how many may have been deployed on immigration enforcement operations before the mistake was caught.

Noem’s Aggressive Recruitment Push

Secretary Noem, appointed in large part for her hardline border security stance and loyalty to President Trump, was charged with dramatically expanding ICE’s workforce to support the administration’s mass deportation program.

The effort offered new recruits $50,000 signing bonuses funded through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” On paper, ICE met the 10,000-officer target by the end of 2025.

However, the AI vetting failure means the agency did not actually place 10,000 fully trained officers in the field.

Many were rushed through the abbreviated online track and may have been sent into communities with significantly less preparation than required, raising serious concerns about officer safety, public safety, and the legality and professionalism of enforcement actions.

The Daily Beast previously reported internal frustrations with the hiring surge, including reports of sloppy vetting, questionable hires, pressure to meet numerical targets, and inadequate background checks.

The vetting blunder has intensified existing concerns about ICE’s operational practices. A recent ProPublica investigation documented more than 40 cases over the past year in which ICE agents used chokeholds, neck restraints, or prolonged pressure on individuals’ backs or necks—tactics widely criticized as dangerous and potentially lethal.

The January 7 fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three, by an ICE agent has already fueled protests and demands for reform. Video of that incident has raised serious questions about the agent’s use of deadly force, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey calling DHS’s self-defense claim “bulls—” and calling for an independent investigation.

The possibility that some officers involved in recent enforcement actions—including high-profile incidents—may have received inadequate training has deepened public distrust and intensified calls for oversight.

Did You Know?: FBI Just Raids Home of Reporter Investigating Trump

Official Response and Corrective Measures

The Department of Homeland Security has not issued a public statement on the AI vetting failure or confirmed the number of affected recruits.

Officials speaking to NBC News claimed that field offices provide additional instruction before deployment and that corrective steps—including manual reviews and mandatory retraining have been implemented.

The incident raises serious questions about the quality and readiness of the expanded ICE force.

Rapid hiring, combined with technological errors and pressure to meet numerical targets, risks placing underprepared officers in high-stress, high-risk situations—potentially endangering both agents and the communities they serve.

Civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups, and Democratic lawmakers have called for immediate congressional oversight, including hearings on ICE hiring practices, training standards, and the use of AI in federal law enforcement decisions.

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The AI glitch is a reminder of the dangers when speed and quotas take precedence over rigorous vetting and preparation as the administration continues its mass deportation campaign and recruitment efforts.

The full scope of the mistake—and its potential impact on enforcement actions, officer safety, and public trust remains under investigation.

For ICE officers rushed into the field, for the communities they encounter, and for a nation deeply divided over immigration policy, the consequences of such systemic errors could be profound, long-lasting, and tragically avoidable.

The fallout from Secretary Noem’s hiring surge is only beginning to unfold.