The ICE hiring boom

The Planet Money podcast examines the rapid expansion of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and its consequences. It addresses concerns about the quality and duration of training for new ICE agents, noting a decrease in training hours and the elimination of Spanish language instruction. The discussion includes the potential impact of aggressive field training officers on recruits' behavior, with law enforcement officers modeling their behavior after more experienced ones. The podcast further investigates the economic impact of ICE detention centers on rural communities, exemplified by Folkestone, Georgia, where the expansion of a detention facility brings jobs but also raises moral questions about profiting from immigrant detention. The episode highlights the conflict between economic benefits and the ethical implications of supporting a system that detains individuals who have not committed crimes.