1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to express serious concerns about the current U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement job announcement for Deportation Officer positions, which remains open continuously until September 30, 2026. This timeline raises troubling questions about the rushed expansion of enforcement personnel in advance of the 2026 midterm elections. The announcement seeks to fill positions at 25 Field Office Director locations nationwide using Direct Hire Authority, which bypasses traditional veterans preference and Rule of Three protections. This accelerated hiring process for armed law enforcement officers who will carry firearms, conduct apprehensions, and transport individuals appears designed to rapidly expand enforcement capacity without adequate safeguards. I am particularly troubled by the Department of Homeland Security's stated encouragement of applications from persons with disabilities, including psychiatric disabilities, for positions that require carrying loaded firearms and making critical enforcement decisions. While I support employment opportunities for people with disabilities in appropriate roles, positions requiring firearms proficiency, split-second judgment in potentially volatile situations, and authority to apprehend and detain individuals demand rigorous screening standards. The announcement requires only that applicants pass a pre-employment medical examination and maintain firearms proficiency, without specifying mental health evaluations or ongoing psychological fitness assessments. The training requirements are minimal for the authority granted. The Basic Immigration Law Enforcement Training Program lasts approximately 50 days, after which officers gain authority to initiate criminal and civil prosecutions, conduct apprehensions, and perform custodial operations. This abbreviated preparation period for such consequential law enforcement powers is inadequate. The timing of this continuous recruitment through September 2026 suggests a politically motivated enforcement buildup rather than a measured response to genuine operational needs. I urge you to demand transparency about the rationale for this hiring surge, require comprehensive mental health screening protocols for armed enforcement positions, and oppose any expansion of immigration enforcement that prioritizes speed over public safety and constitutional protections.