Trump Administration Offers Up to $60,000 Bonuses to Rapidly Expand Border Patrol Ranks

The Trump administration is sharply increasing financial incentives to expand the U.S. Border Patrol and customs workforce, offering bonuses of up to $60,000 as part of a broader effort to accelerate hiring and retention across border enforcement agencies.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is seeking to add 8,500 employees using roughly $4 billion allocated under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including $285 million earmarked specifically for recruitment and retention bonuses.

New Border Patrol agents who complete academy training and accept postings in remote locations can qualify for the full $60,000, while officers in the Office of Field Operations may receive the same amount if assigned to hard-to-fill posts, as Government Executive reports. Existing employees are also eligible for bonuses of up to $50,000 for Border Patrol agents and $60,000 for certain customs personnel, an effort to curb longstanding attrition.

"CBP is committed to recruiting and retaining top talent for our critical mission," CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said, adding that the incentives are meant to support border security and national safety.

The financial push comes as applications rise but net staffing gains remain modest. Between May and June, CBP received about 50,000 applications, nearly 40% more than a year earlier, yet hired roughly 1,200 officers over that period.

Agency data shows that attrition has continued to offset much of the hiring, forcing CBP to further raise incentives. Border Patrol had already offered $30,000 recruitment bonuses before Trump returned to office, but staffing levels declined during the previous administration.

Efforts so far have, nevertheless, paid off in certain states. At the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, enrollment has surged alongside the new incentives, CNN reports. Officials say about 1,100 trainees are currently enrolled, the highest level since 2009, with a goal of reaching 1,500 by mid-2026.

Funding from the new legislation is also supporting expanded vehicle-pursuit training, updated firearms technology, and physical upgrades to academy facilities.

Recruiters have intensified outreach to military service members preparing to leave active duty, emphasizing signing bonuses, job stability, and benefits. Applications climbed to more than 103,000 in fiscal year 2025, up sharply from previous years, according to CBP.

Labor groups and former officials caution that money alone may not resolve hiring challenges. The jobs often involve difficult conditions in remote areas, long hiring timelines, extensive background checks, and limited housing in border communities.