Former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told Newsmax on Wednesday rising recruitment numbers at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Border Patrol show renewed confidence among federal law enforcement officers who believe they can now actually do their jobs under President Donald Trump.
Wolf, now executive vice president of the America First Policy Institute, made the remarks during an appearance on "Rob Schmitt Tonight" as the host praised the administration's border enforcement record and pointed to a surge in interest among federal agents.
Asked about the administration's approach, Wolf said the Trump team reversed policies he said had undermined enforcement during the former President Joe Biden years.
He described the prior use of humanitarian parole and the CBP One app as a system that allowed migrants to gain entry with little resistance, saying, "you could go on your app and basically get a free entry into the country."
Wolf said ending those policies led to immediate results, including steep drops in apprehensions and the end of catch-and-release.
He said enforcement changes meant they were "no longer releasing individuals into the interior of the country" and added that "catch and release has been stopped by this administration."
He also cited drug enforcement and removals, saying fentanyl seizures are down and deportations are up.
"President Trump deserves a lot of credit — his team deserves a lot of credit for what they've been able to do in a very short period of time," he said.
Wolf argued that improved morale is driving a surge in recruitment across enforcement agencies.
He said when officers know they can do their jobs without political interference, "they're going to sign up to do that job because there's a duty."
"They're called to this type of work, and so whether it's ICE agents, you know, the recruitment numbers are up, or Border Patrol agents, for that matter, both numbers are up because they know that President Trump has their back."
By contrast, Wolf said agents were discouraged under the prior administration, noting they were "called all sorts of names by both the [former] president and the leadership in his administration," Wolf said.
"You just don't want to serve under that scenario," adding that the environment has now changed and recruitment numbers are "surging once again," he said.
Wolf's remarks track with recent data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which reported unprecedented application and hiring levels across multiple agencies since Trump took office.
DHS said ICE's "Defend the Homeland" recruitment campaign has drawn more than 220,000 applications, with plans to hire 10,000 officers by the end of 2025.
The U.S. Border Patrol has received more than 100,000 applications during Trump's second term, including nearly 35,000 from January through May 2025, a 44% increase over the same period the previous year.
The administration has also reported an 84% increase in the monthly average of new Border Patrol hires.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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