Job Offer from ICE Surprises Liberal Journalist

A liberal journalist has taken issue with what she describes as the “sloppiness” of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after they accepted her job application, although she has been openly critical of the Trump administration.

Laura Jadeed, a writer for publications like Rolling Stone and The Nation, shared her experience in a Slate article on Tuesday, detailing how she was “hired” by ICE without what she considers adequate vetting.

“Becoming an ICE agent was never my intention,” Jadid explained. “My goal was to attend the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer Career Expo last August in Texas simply to learn more.” She admitted that her initial fascination waned as she realized the implications of such a job.

Jadid, who has military experience from two deployments to Afghanistan, felt her past criticisms of President Trump and ICE should have made her a less-than-ideal candidate. However, during her interview, the recruiter appeared “shockingly indifferent” to her background, which she casually labeled as part of the “gig economy.”

She recounted: “‘They are prioritizing current law enforcement personnel. They’ll review your resume,’ she told me. After that, it could be hours or even days before I hear back.” Jadid left the appointment thinking she likely wouldn’t be contacted again. To her surprise, an email did arrive—notifying her of a preliminary job offer—that she nearly missed in her inbox.

The message read, “Please do not quit your current job,” and detailed next steps. It took her two days to fill out the required Federal Employment Declaration, and five additional days to return the necessary forms, including her driver’s license and an affidavit stating she hadn’t been convicted of domestic violence. Curiously, it also noted, “If you decline the position, you don’t need to complete the next actions.” Jadid admitted that she overlooked the initial email, and it was only after another notification that she realized ICE intended to proceed with her recruitment.

Jadid described the unfortunate timing of her drug test, revealing she had smoked marijuana just days prior. Nonetheless, she visited LabCorp with the expectation of failing, but found the situation took an odd turn nine days later when she checked her application in the portal. To her astonishment, despite there having been no background check, it appeared she had been offered a job.

“It was almost unbelievable,” she wrote. “The system indicated that I had accepted the offer, and I was listed as ‘on duty’—without even having signed any official documents.” Jadid noted that it seemed ICE had essentially hired her without following standard procedures.

She speculated that she might have accidentally clicked a “decline” option that could have rescinded her application, reflecting her confusion about the process. “To be candid, I did not accurately complete several steps that would have indicated I wasn’t a good fit for the job. They still offered me the position,” she emphasized.

It’s possible, she considered, that her experience might be unique—perhaps just a glitch in the application process. But she expressed skepticism regarding ICE’s recruitment practices overall, suggesting a lack of oversight allowed potentially unqualified individuals to slip through.

She questioned whether it was possible for individuals with troubling backgrounds to navigate the vetting process unchecked. “How can we trust ICE to carry out thorough investigations on those they detain and deport when they can’t adequately manage their own recruitment?” Jadid challenged.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to requests for comments.