In a move that’s turning heads both inside and outside the Beltway, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) is rolling out a new recruitment strategy that’s as loud as the engines under the hood: two brand-new 2025 Ford Mustang GT Fastbacks. Complete with gold ICE logos and the bold slogan “Defend the Homeland” emblazoned along their sides, these muscle cars are part of a high-octane push to attract fresh talent amid a critical staffing crunch.
According to Detroit Free Press and The Independent, the Trump administration authorized the purchase of the Mustangs on August 7, 2025, as an “immediate request by the White House.” The price tag? A cool $121,450 for the pair, sourced from Banister Ford of Marlow Heights, Maryland—just a 25-minute drive from the White House. The urgency of the order meant the usual competitive bidding process was skipped entirely. As the federal procurement documents put it, “The agency’s need for the services is so urgent and compelling that providing full and open competition would result in unacceptable delays and seriously hinder the Government’s recruiting initiative.”
The Mustangs, each boasting a 5.0-liter V8 engine and 480 horsepower, aren’t destined for high-speed chases or undercover operations. Instead, they’ll be showcased at recruitment events, career fairs, and public outreach initiatives, where their “eye-catching design increases public engagement at outreach events and helps attract top talent by conveying a culture of excellence and forward momentum,” as described in the federal procurement documents. The hope is that these cars—symbols of power, innovation, and American muscle—will help ICE stand out in a fiercely competitive job market.
This splashy recruitment tactic comes at a pivotal moment for ICE. With Congress having approved $30 billion in July 2025 as part of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” the agency is under pressure to add some 14,000 immigration officers over the next two fiscal years. Yet, as The Atlantic recently reported, morale among ICE personnel is flagging. Officers and agents have faced mounting expectations, shifting job priorities, and a wave of leadership shakeups. The focus has increasingly shifted from targeting criminal suspects to conducting civil immigration arrests—often in highly visible, controversial situations such as court hearings or public spaces, which has left officers feeling besieged by both public scrutiny and internal demands.
“Officers and agents have spent much of the past five months clocking weekends and waking up at 4 a.m. for predawn raids. Their top leaders have been ousted or demoted, and their supervisors— themselves under threat of being fired—are pressuring them to make more and more arrests to meet quotas set by the Trump adviser Stephen Miller,” The Atlantic reported. The result? A workforce that’s increasingly retreating “behind masks and tactical gear,” wary of both activists and angry onlookers.
The decision to use flashy vehicles as recruitment tools isn’t entirely without precedent. The FBI, for instance, has long maintained impressive fleets of high-end vehicles—though those are typically reserved for operational purposes, not recruitment displays. Military branches have also used technology showcases to draw in recruits. But the direct use of luxury muscle cars and custom-wrapped SUVs as recruitment bait marks a new, and some would say unconventional, approach for federal agencies.
The Mustang GTs are only the latest—and perhaps the most conspicuous—addition to ICE’s growing fleet of recruitment vehicles. According to The Independent and Detroit Free Press, ICE has already spent more than $700,000 customizing a Ford Raptor and a GMC Yukon to mimic the look of Donald Trump’s private Boeing 757. These vehicles, painted navy blue with red-and-white racing stripes, gold ICE logos, and “President Donald J. Trump” printed in gold on the rear window, are designed to create a “buzz” around ICE careers through recruitment videos and social media campaigns. The words “Defend the homeland” are emblazoned on their sides, reinforcing the agency’s messaging.
Dan Banister, owner of Banister Ford, told Detroit Free Press he had no idea his store was supplying vehicles to ICE when the government purchase was made. “I didn’t know it was the White House. Donald Trump didn’t call me,” Banister said. “The way they found us was, we had to register with the federal government to be a provider of vehicles. We offer government discounts. Many times, it’s a bidding process, but it looks like they were in a pinch and needed cars right away.” Banister’s dealership happened to have the right Mustangs in stock, leading to a swift sale and delivery just days after the request.
Banister, who owns several dealerships in the Virginia area, said he takes no political position on who purchases a vehicle from his stores. “We sell to a wide range of customers including individuals, businesses and government agencies. We don’t take any political position on who purchases a vehicle. We just want to provide a quality vehicle with professional service,” he explained. As for whether a muscle car can really lure new agents to ICE, Banister mused, “I don’t know that would make people want to join ICE or not? I guess if I’m going out there trying to hire people to work and I bring a nice sporty car out there, that would get people to come talk to me.”
Federal officials, for their part, are betting that the Mustangs’ “bold, high-performance” image will help turn heads and spark conversations at recruitment events. “The Ford Mustang GT enhances recruitment efforts in support of the USC Title 8 mission and HR 1 OBBBA recruiting, by serving as a bold, high-performance symbol of innovation, strength and modern federal service,” the procurement documents state. And with at least one of the Mustangs already spotted around D.C. sporting its gold ICE logo and “Defend the homeland” branding, the agency’s new approach is hard to miss.
Yet, beneath the gleam of chrome and the rumble of V8 engines, the fundamental question remains: will these high-powered recruitment tools actually draw in the qualified candidates ICE so desperately needs? The agency’s broader campaign—which includes not just cars, but a full array of marketing efforts—reflects the seriousness of its staffing shortfall and the evolving nature of federal recruitment in an era of heightened scrutiny and shifting priorities.
As ICE prepares to ramp up recruitment over the coming years, all eyes will be on whether muscle cars and marketing can bridge the gap between the agency’s ambitious expansion plans and the reality of a tough, sometimes thankless job. For now, the Mustangs are revving their engines, ready to hit the road—and maybe, just maybe, inspire the next wave of federal agents.
