Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is making headlines for a recruitment strategy that’s turning heads—and raising eyebrows. On August 14, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a flashy recruitment video that’s hard to miss: two burly vehicles, a Ford Raptor and a GMC Yukon, decked out with massive ICE logos, a bold red stripe, and, in gold, the name "President Donald J. Trump" emblazoned across the back window. The video, posted on X (formerly Twitter), features the two trucks cruising the streets of Washington, D.C., rolling past the White House and the U.S. Capitol, all set to the backdrop of rapper DaBaby’s "Toes."
"My heart so cold I think I’m done with ice," DaBaby raps as the video showcases the vehicles—an unsubtle nod to the agency’s acronym and a recruitment pitch that’s anything but understated. According to Rolling Stone, the vehicles’ design, with its large decal lettering and red stripe, closely echoes the look of Trump’s private jet, often dubbed "Trump Force One." The trucks even bear the phrase "Defend the Homeland," making the message unmistakable.
But the spectacle comes at a price. Purchase orders and federal procurement data reviewed by the American Immigration Council and other watchdogs show that just the cars themselves cost more than $380,000. Add in an additional $182,000 spent on the graphic wrap design and application, and the total bill for this recruitment campaign’s vehicular centerpiece soars to over $560,000. These figures have been confirmed by both Rolling Stone and independent analysts online, who posted the purchase orders to social media for all to see.
Why the sudden need for such ostentatious wheels? It’s all part of a broader push to supercharge ICE’s ranks. As reported by Rolling Stone, President Trump’s recently passed "Big Beautiful Bill" funneled tens of billions of dollars into the agency, with the explicit goal of hiring 10,000 new ICE officers. The legislation, which also included steep tax cuts for the wealthy and reductions in health care funding for the poor, has left ICE with deep pockets and a mandate to ramp up enforcement—and, apparently, its public profile.
The new recruitment video directs viewers to ICE’s job portal, as the agency casts a wide net for fresh recruits. In a social media post accompanying the video, DHS boldly declared: "We will have our country back." The message, coupled with the militarized imagery, signals the administration’s intent to intensify its immigration crackdown and project strength, both to potential recruits and the broader public.
For longtime observers, the new vehicles and their high-profile debut mark a sharp departure from ICE’s traditional approach. Historically, ICE has favored unmarked vehicles—think Ford Explorers, Chevy Tahoes, and Dodge Chargers—often with dark tinted windows and no license plates, to maintain a low profile during operations. As the League of Latin American Citizens notes, this anonymity is by design, allowing agents to operate without drawing unwanted attention. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, by contrast, uses white vehicles with prominent blue or green stripes, but ICE’s preference has always been to blend in, not stand out.
So why the sudden shift to bold branding and expensive wraps? Critics argue that it’s a desperate bid to attract younger recruits, especially as the agency faces challenges filling its expanded ranks. According to The Daily Beast, ICE has recently removed its age requirement and dropped its Spanish-language learning requirement, moves widely seen as attempts to soften qualifications and widen the applicant pool. In a further sign of urgency, DHS officials have reportedly begun reaching out to retirees, hoping to lure experienced personnel back into service.
Some see the new recruitment campaign as more style than substance. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council, was among those who posted the vehicle purchase orders online, highlighting the steep price tag. Others have compared the vehicles’ design to the old livery of Trump’s jet, suggesting the branding is as much about the president’s persona as about ICE’s mission.
But the recruitment video is just one piece of a much larger—and much more expensive—public relations blitz. As Rolling Stone reports, DHS is currently spending a staggering $200 million on advertisements thanking President Trump for deporting immigrants. These ad buys are being handled by the same firm that managed most of Trump’s 2024 campaign advertising. And if that weren’t enough, the administration has also shelled out up to $45 million for a military parade through Washington, D.C., on the president’s birthday—a spectacle that dwarfs even the flashy new ICE trucks in scale and cost.
The context for this spending spree is a White House determined to project control and toughness, particularly in the nation’s capital. The decision to parade the new ICE trucks around Washington comes as Trump has deployed federal troops to the city, following an incident in which a group of teenagers allegedly assaulted a Trump administration staffer known as "Big Balls." The administration’s response—a federal takeover of D.C. and a show of force on the streets—has drawn both praise and criticism, depending on one’s political perspective.
Supporters of the administration argue that the new vehicles and the broader recruitment drive are necessary steps to restore order and enforce immigration laws. They point to the "Big Beautiful Bill" as a mandate from voters to get tough on illegal immigration and bring new energy to ICE’s mission. The recruitment campaign, with its slick visuals and high-profile branding, is seen by some as a way to attract the best and brightest to a difficult but essential job.
Detractors, however, see the campaign as wasteful and tone-deaf, especially given the agency’s history of operating in the shadows. Critics argue that the money spent on vehicles, wraps, and ads could be better used elsewhere, and they question the wisdom of lowering recruitment standards at a time when ICE’s actions are already under intense scrutiny. The use of DaBaby’s music—"My heart so cold I think I’m done with ice"—has also sparked debate, with some calling it a clever play on words and others decrying it as cringeworthy pandering.
Whether the campaign succeeds in its goal of recruiting 10,000 new officers remains to be seen. What’s clear is that ICE’s new look—and the money spent to achieve it—has sparked a lively conversation about priorities, image, and the future of immigration enforcement in America. For now, the agency’s flashy trucks and bold branding are rolling through the nation’s capital, a symbol of a new era at ICE—one that’s as much about optics as it is about operations.
As the debate rages on, one thing is certain: ICE’s recruitment drive has put the agency squarely in the spotlight, for better or worse, and the conversation about immigration enforcement in the U.S. is far from over.
