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ICE recalls retired federal workers to bolster its ranks

By Ximena Bustillo,
Domenico Montanaro, Ashley Lopez
Published August 8, 2025 at 9:30 AM EDT

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is turning to retired federal workers as it tries to rapidly boost its ranks. We discuss the reasons behind the agency's hiring spree and the challenges it faces in its efforts.

This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.


This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics

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Ximena Bustillo
Ximena Bustillo is a multi-platform reporter at NPR covering politics out of the White House and Congress on air and in print.
Domenico Montanaro
Domenico Montanaro is NPR's senior political editor/correspondent. Based in Washington, D.C., his work appears on air and online delivering analysis of the political climate in Washington and campaigns. He also helps edit political coverage.
See stories by Domenico Montanaro
Ashley Lopez
Ashley Lopez is a political correspondent for NPR based in Austin, Texas. She joined NPR in May 2022. Prior to NPR, Lopez spent more than six years as a health care and politics reporter for KUT, Austin's public radio station. Before that, she was a political reporter for NPR Member stations in Florida and Kentucky. Lopez is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and grew up in Miami, Florida.
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