Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun quietly firing recruits it hired during last year’s rapid expansion, reportedly including a Marine reservist and father of two who died by suicide days after being told he would lose the job, according to an investigation by The Washington Post.
Joseph Moore, 38, of suburban Philadelphia, had spent years trying to build a career in law enforcement. He died Aug. 28 outside ICE’s Philadelphia field office, according to the Philadelphia medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a suicide.
Moore died three days after ICE notified him that he would be fired and one day before his one-year anniversary with the agency, the Post reported. His family has questioned the ruling and how authorities handled the scene.
The Post also reported that ICE officials believed they had talked Moore down, and that Philadelphia police officers then arrived with weapons drawn.
The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed it had responded to a report of an armed individual. Relatives said the firing notice came days after Moore filed a workers’ compensation request tied to a car crash.
A Hiring Surge
Moore was one of roughly 12,000 recruits ICE brought on during a hiring push meant to support the Trump administration’s mass-deportation goals. He was hired in the fall as a deportation officer.
Former Department of Homeland Security officials told the Post that the hiring moved so quickly that some recruits were cleared for duty before they had been adequately vetted.
Those officials said ICE has since begun removing some of the employees over performance problems. They also noted background issues that they believe should have been identified before the recruits started work.
The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Military.com on the dismissals or on Moore’s case. This story will be updated with any response.
ICE Responds to Concerns
An ICE spokesperson, responding to questions from Military.com about the dismissals, characterized the personnel decisions as routine.
They said ICE can remove employees who fail to meet agency standards.
“This is nothing new,” the spokesperson said. “ICE is hiring the best of the best to go after the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including drug traffickers, murderers and pedophiles. When individuals fall short of that standard, personnel decisions are made. This is standard practice in almost every American workplace.”
Regarding Moore’s death, the department expressed condolences to his family and said the incident remains under investigation. It did not specify what aspect of the case is being reviewed.
“Anytime an individual takes their own life, it’s incredibly saddening,” the spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this troubling time.”
The department did not directly address whether or how it responded to the whistleblower’s August 2025 warning about the pace of the hiring expansion. The spokesperson said ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility applies personnel vetting requirements and evaluates each applicant’s information.
Under that process, applicants can receive tentative selection letters after an initial application and interview. The agency may allow them to begin training on temporary status while a full background investigation remains pending.
Training for recruits has since been extended to 72 days, effective June 2. The new change applies to academy classes beginning July 1. Graduates who completed the earlier curriculum will receive follow-on instruction through the Advanced Field Officer Training Program, the spokesperson said.
The department pointed out mental health resources available to employees and their families, including peer and clinical support tailored to military veterans and National Guard or Reserve personnel. The department did not say whether Moore had used or been referred to any of those services.
Warnings to the Watchdog
An ICE whistleblower wrote to the DHS Office of Inspector General in August 2025.
They warned that the hiring surge had overwhelmed the agency and that some applicants were being cleared for duty without completing important parts of the background process, according to the Post.
In Moore’s case, the agency belatedly identified that he had been fired from two prior law enforcement agencies, the Post reported, drawing on employment records included in federal court filings.
Two of Moore’s former colleagues at the Philadelphia office told the newspaper they believed he should not have been hired in the first place, noting that once a person has been fired from a law enforcement job, it is very difficult to return to the field.
Moore’s Background
Moore enlisted in the Marines after high school.
He served about five years before shifting to a part-time commitment as a reservist, according to the Post’s account. He graduated from a police academy in 2014 and moved between small-town policing jobs in Pennsylvania.
His path was marked by setbacks. Employment records cited in court filings showed he had been fired by two agencies and rejected by others before he found work as a police officer in a small city.
In a 2020 letter to a Pennsylvania town’s supervisors, Moore wrote, “Policing is in my blood,” adding, “There is no other career for me.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or just needs to talk, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Veterans and service members can call 988 and then press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, or text 838255.
Read the full article here
