The Trump administration has purchased two 2025 Ford Mustang GTs for more than $120,000 as part of what it calls an urgent effort to boost recruitment for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to federal procurement documents reviewed by the Detroit Free Press.
The White House requested the vehicles on August 7, bypassing the normal competitive bidding process. The documents described the need as "so urgent and compelling that providing full and open competition would result in unacceptable delays and seriously hinder the Government's recruiting initiative."
The cars, purchased from Banister Ford of Marlow Heights in Maryland, were delivered within days. "It looks like they were in a pinch and needed cars right away," dealership owner Dan Banister told the Free Press.
The cars are to be deployed at job fairs and other recruitment events as government filings say their "eye-catching design increases public engagement at outreach events and helps attract top talent by conveying a culture of excellence and forward momentum." One Mustang has already been spotted in Washington, D.C., with ICE insignia and the slogan "Defend the homeland," according to The Independent.
The purchases come amid a $30 billion congressional allocation for ICE hiring, part of the broader "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed last month. The administration has set a target of adding about 14,000 immigration officers over the next two fiscal years.}
The Mustang purchase follows other high-profile recruitment tools, including SUVs and pickup trucks customized with Trump's campaign-style livery at a cost exceeding $700,000, The Independent reported.
The administration's recruiting campaign has been considerably ramped up in the last few weeks as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urged Americans to apply, calling this "a defining moment in our nation's history". The Department of Homeland Security announced earlier this month that ICE has received over 100,000 applications.
ICE has even looked to rehire retired personnel. As reported by The New York Times in late July, the agency's "Operation Return to Mission" offers them signing bonuses of up to $50,000, along with continued pension payments under a federal waiver program.
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