"We need you to kick them out": Trump bails out Uncle Sam to expel migrants

WashingtonThe White House has dusted off the Uncle Sam poster that recruited soldiers during both World Wars under the slogan "America Needs You." But this time, the man with white hair and beard, dressed in the colors of the flag, isn't inquisitively pointing at the reader to recruit soldiers to fight the external enemy. The propaganda poster seeks troops to combat the internal enemy that Donald Trump has invented: migrants. "America has been invaded by criminals and predators. WE NEED YOU to kick them out." says the website that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has set up that wants to incorporate 10,000 new immigration agents.

This is not the first time that the Trump administration has used bellicose language and dehumanized the migrant population as if they were the enemy of the country. Last June, during the Los Angeles protests against the violent ICE raids, the Department of Homeland Security opened a telephone line to report undocumented immigrants. "Help your country and yourself. Report all foreign invaders," said the campaign, which also featured a figure very similar to Uncle Sam.

Although the president himself acknowledged that his immigration policy has caused a shortage of labor in the agricultural sector and in the hospitality and catering sectors, the campaign of terror against migrants –who hardly dare to leave home– The government isn't letting up. In fact, not only is there a shortage of workers in these sectors because they've been arrested, but many are no longer going to work out of fear.

The website makes it clear that "no college degree is necessary" to become an agent and that a range of benefits are offered, such as up to $60,000 to pay off student loans or a signing bonus of up to $50,000. Additionally, it promises "competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life and long-term care insurance, a retirement plan" and other perks. The fine print remains to be seen, but the recruitment method closely resembles the military's reward system for recruiting new soldiers.

Thus, the only requirement to sign up is to be between 21 and 40 years old. The ad also warns prospective agents that they should expect "a certain level of risk on the job" and that it is seeking individuals who "are committed to their mission of protecting America from cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety."

The recruitment campaign stems from the new budget allocation of approximately $30 million that Trump managed to pass in Congress in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill. This is the macro tax law that expands the 2017 tax cuts to benefit the wealthy and at the cost of leaving 11 million Americans without health coverageThe $30 million is part of the $170 billion budget for border reinforcements and the deportation of migrants approved under the new fiscal plan.

Although the Trump administration has led a much more aggressive campaign to achieve its immigration goals, its personnel are not sufficient to carry out its promise of "the largest mass deportation in history." ICE currently has about 20,000 agents, while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has 60,000, including about 19,000 border agents in charge of patrolling the wall.

Although the standards for entering ICE are considerably lower than those of other administrative bodies, it has always been difficult to fill vacancies. In fact, this is not the first time Trump has tried to swell the ranks of that body. During his first term, he also attempted to recruit 10,000 new agents, without much success. At the time, a report by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general He concluded that to reach 10,000 new agents, it would be necessary to interview "half a million people."Since 2020, every US law enforcement agency has struggled to recruit and retain officers, even those in the military.

While the ad promises a "competitive salary," the reality is that the pay is subpar: the maximum base pay for federal law enforcement is $75,000, before adjustments for regional cost-of-living. A current job posting for a position in "enforcement and removal operations" lists a salary range of approximately $50,000 to $90,000. The New York City police force offers new officers a starting base salary of $60,000, yet is struggling to fill approximately 1,000 openings.