Washington, D.C. — The streets of the nation’s capital have rarely seen a spectacle quite like this: a pair of gleaming, navy blue trucks, decked out in gold and red, cruising past the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, and the White House. These aren’t just any vehicles—they’re the centerpiece of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) bold new recruitment drive, unveiled with a splashy social media campaign and a soundtrack by rapper DaBaby. The rollout, which took place on Thursday, August 14, 2025, marks one of the most visible and expensive public displays in ICE’s history, and it’s already stirring up plenty of conversation.
According to The Independent, ICE spent over $700,000 customizing a Ford Raptor pickup truck and a GMC Yukon SUV to resemble Donald Trump’s private jet, the Boeing 757 known as “Trump Force One.” The vehicles feature a navy blue paint job, red and white racing stripes, a gold ICE logo, and, emblazoned on the rear window in bold gold letters, “President Donald J. Trump.” Federal procurement records reveal that more than $505,000 went to purchasing the vehicles from at least three dealerships, while another $227,000 was spent on the elaborate wrap jobs provided by at least four companies.
The design is unmistakable. The trucks’ color scheme and bold branding are a clear nod to Trump’s signature aircraft, right down to the gold lettering. It’s a look that’s as much about making a statement as it is about attracting new recruits. The goal, according to ICE’s own request for information, is to reach more than 42 million people—especially Gen Z, early-career professionals, military veterans, and legal professionals—across social media platforms and streaming services like Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a professionally produced video, posted on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) official X account. The video, viewed nearly 200,000 times within hours, shows the new fleet rolling through Washington, D.C., set to DaBaby’s rap track “TOES.” The lyrics, “My heart so cold I think I’m done with ice (Uh, brr),” and “Better not pull up with no knife, 'cause I bring guns to fights,” play over images of the trucks parked in front of some of the nation’s most iconic landmarks. The video concludes with a recruitment link to JOIN.ICE.GOV, inviting viewers to consider a career with the agency.
ICE isn’t holding back on incentives, either. According to The Independent, new recruits are being enticed with a maximum $50,000 signing bonus and student loan forgiveness—perks that go well beyond the standard federal benefits package, which already includes competitive salaries, paid holidays, health, dental, vision and life insurance, a retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, transportation subsidies, telework options, and access to fitness centers. The agency has also dropped age restrictions, allowing applicants as young as 18 and as old as 40 to apply, a move intended to broaden the pool of “patriots” eligible to join ICE’s mission to “arrest murderers, pedophiles, gang members, rapists, and other criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets,” as stated by Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem.
This aggressive recruitment push comes on the heels of a massive funding boost from Congress. Republicans earmarked $30 billion for ICE’s hiring spree, aiming to add 14,000 immigration officers to support President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Congress also approved $45 billion for ICE detention centers, and, in total, more than $170 billion has been set aside for immigration enforcement over the next decade. That makes ICE one of the most expensive law enforcement agencies in the world, with a budget that outpaces the military spending of many countries.
The timing of the campaign is no accident. The fleet’s debut coincides with a dramatic increase in federal law enforcement presence in Washington, D.C. President Trump has temporarily assumed control of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department for 30 days, deploying hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents—including ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI—to reinforce patrols and man city checkpoints. As Fox News reported, this is part of a broader “crime crackdown” in the capital, with the new ICE vehicles serving as a highly visible symbol of federal authority.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s office released a fact sheet touting enforcement gains during her first 200 days in office. According to DHS, there has been a 93% decline in border encounters, a near halt to illegal migration through Panama’s Darién Gap, and more than 100,000 job applications to ICE since the “Defend the Homeland” campaign began. The department has also reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office and reported more than 352,000 arrests since January 2025.
Public reaction to the rollout has been largely positive, at least on DHS’s social media accounts. Replies from veterans, law enforcement families, and supporters have flooded the agency’s posts. One user wrote, “Keep up the excellent work, thank you for protecting us.” The campaign’s visibility and the patriotic branding seem to be resonating with a segment of the public eager for a more assertive approach to law enforcement and immigration policy.
Not everyone is pleased, however. The same day the video was posted, D.C. officials filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging unconstitutional overreach and an infringement on the city’s right to self-governance. Critics argue that the militarization of federal law enforcement and the aggressive recruitment tactics are escalating tensions and undermining local autonomy. ICE, for its part, acknowledged The Independent’s request for comment but did not respond to specific questions about the cost or the optics of the new vehicle designs. DaBaby’s representatives have also been contacted for comment.
For ICE, the stakes are high. The agency’s recent request for information describes the recruitment campaign as a “critical priority,” requiring “specialized commercial advertising experience, established infrastructure, and qualified personnel to activate without delay.” The agency’s aim is clear: to build a force that can execute the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement agenda—and to do so with maximum visibility and public support.
As the shiny new fleet continues to roll through the capital, it’s hard to ignore the sense of spectacle—and the deep divisions it represents. For supporters, it’s a sign that the government is taking bold action to “defend the homeland.” For critics, it’s a troubling display of federal power and political branding. Either way, the message is loud and clear: ICE is recruiting, and it wants everyone to know.
The rollout of these Trump-branded ICE vehicles marks a new chapter in the agency’s public image, one that’s as much about optics as it is about enforcement. Whether the campaign will succeed in filling thousands of new jobs, or simply fuel the ongoing debate over immigration and federal power, remains to be seen. But for now, the capital’s streets—and the nation’s screens—are awash in navy blue, gold, and a very particular vision of law and order.
