The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an open call for hiring criminal investigators in various cities across the country, including Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, in Florida.
The positions offer annual salaries of up to 177,767 dollars, but they are aimed at a specific group of candidates with prior experience in the federal government.
The agency promoted the call on its official X account this Sunday and explained that the vacancies correspond to Homeland Security Investigations (Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional, HSI), its division specialized in criminal investigations.
The announcement, identified by the number HSI-13085040-RHA-AA, can be consulted on the official federal jobs portal USAJOBS.
The offer includes full-time contracts of a temporary nature with an initial maximum duration of one year and one day, although they can be extended based on the needs of the institution. The positions correspond to the federal salary category GS-13.
According to the announcement, the salary ranges between $109,383 and $177,767 annually. The specific salary will depend on the location where the researcher is assigned, as the federal scale includes geographic adjustments.
Who can apply for a job?
Although the announcement includes numerous U.S. cities, it is not an open call for anyone interested in working for ICE.
One of the eligible groups is made up of retired federal criminal investigators who previously held positions in the 1811 professional series, related to criminal investigations, and who meet the requirements to rejoin federal service.
The offer also accepts eligible candidates under the federal CTAP, ICTAP, and RPL programs, established for certain public workers affected by job eliminations, reorganizations, or labor transition processes.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to grade GS-12.
That trajectory may include investigations related to drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud, human trafficking, financial crimes, terrorism, or immigration violations.
Additionally, they must pass a background check, pass drug screening tests, hold a valid driver's license, and meet the requirements for obtaining a Top Secret security clearance.
The job requires carrying firearms, availability for travel, and the ability to perform physically demanding tasks.
The announcement also states that selected individuals must reside within a maximum distance of 50 miles, approximately 80 kilometers, from their workplace.
In which cities in Florida are there vacancies?
The official list includes Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Homestead, Key West, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Gainesville, Lauderhill, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Bradenton, Rockledge, and Panama City Beach.
It also includes locations from Texas, New York, California, Georgia, North Carolina, and other states, along with Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.
However, the availability of a city in the announcement does not guarantee that the candidate can choose it. ICE warns that assignments will depend on its operational needs and that rejecting the offered destination may result in exclusion from the selection process.
What work will the new researchers do?
HSI special agents are involved in complex investigations related to international trade, travel, finance, immigration, and criminal organizations. They may also investigate cyber crimes, smuggling, human trafficking, and money laundering operations.
Their responsibilities include gathering evidence, conducting interviews, analyzing information, preparing reports, and coordinating operations with other national and international law enforcement agencies.
The call is aimed at criminal investigators and should not be confused with positions for deportation officers, whose work primarily focuses on the detention and expulsion of immigrants.
How to submit an application?
Those interested who meet the requirements should go to USAJOBS and find the announcement HSI-13085040-RHA-AA.
The process requires completing an evaluation questionnaire and submitting a resume of no more than two pages, along with documents that validate professional experience and eligibility. Retired federal investigators must also provide SF-50 forms that demonstrate their service history and retirement.
The deadline for submitting applications is December 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The agency clarifies that it will not accept applications by postal mail or email.
The call functions under a continuous hiring system, allowing ICE to review candidate groups every two weeks and make job offers before the deadline closes.
Retired researchers who are rehired under certain authorizations could also receive their pension and federal salary simultaneously, provided they meet the conditions set for that mode of reintegration.
ICE expands its hiring
The announcement comes as the agency is engaged in a broader process of expanding its workforce. At the end of September, it was reported that ICE planned to hire an additional 5,000 employees before the end of 2026, mostly deportation officers, according to information published at that time by The New York Times.
That hiring process was accompanied by criticism due to the speed of the incorporations and the delays in the background checks of thousands of new employees.
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