Boost in Customs and Border Protection Recruitment
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has experienced a substantial increase in recruitment numbers, contrasting sharply with the low morale seen during former President Joe Biden’s administration. This information comes from an internal memo that has been accessed.
According to the memo, since Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem took over, there has been a striking 44% rise in applications from January to May 2025 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. Under Biden, the agency faced overwhelming challenges with millions of migrants crossing the border, and their requests for assistance were largely ignored. This neglect resulted in discouraging recruitment figures, while morale issues led to a troubling rise in suicides among agents.
During Biden’s term, CBP recorded an astonishing 8.5 million encounters at the border, not to mention over 1.7 million instances of people evading capture. Alarmingly, more than 250 migrants encountered were identified on the terror watchlist.
As former CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus pointed out in 2022, morale was at its lowest. In a message to CBP leadership, he described the situation as “the worst it’s ever been.” He was reportedly suggested to resign by then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, facing either that or termination.
The morale crisis was so serious that CBP engaged a “suicidologist” in early 2021 to combat the increase in suicides. Despite Biden’s attempts to improve recruitment with additional funding, issues persisted, and border crossings remained a significant concern.
Upon assuming office, Trump swiftly implemented an executive order aimed at curtailing illegal immigration and rolled back Biden-era policies that hindered enforcement. As a result, apprehensions plunged during his first month, reaching a 15-year low in February, according to DHS data.
The memo also highlighted improvements in other DHS divisions under the new management. The U.S. Coast Guard, for instance, has reported a rise in drug seizures, capturing 11% more cocaine in fiscal year 2025 compared to the previous year. The Coast Guard has also welcomed over 4,250 new recruits, marking an increase of 1,200 from the same timeframe in 2024, and has seized more than 110,000 pounds of narcotics valued at over $1.5 billion.
Moreover, the Secret Service experienced a significant recruitment boost, receiving 200% more applications in the current year.
A DHS spokesperson noted, “For four years, the previous administration demoralized and denied resources to our brave men and women in law enforcement, including in the Secret Service. We are reinvigorating the Secret Service and providing it with the resources our brave men and women need to do their jobs.”
