Prison Guards ‘Leaving in Droves’ to Join ICE
The federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing an unprecedented staffing crisis as corrections officers leave in large numbers for higher-paying positions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Drawn by $50,000 signing bonuses and tuition reimbursement, hundreds of prison employees have made the move, leaving federal facilities dangerously understaffed, according to ProPublica.
“We’re broken and we’re being poached by ICE,” said a union official representing prison workers. “It’s unbelievable. People are leaving in droves.”
ProPublica reviewed internal prison data showing the BOP has lost at least 1,400 more staff than it hired this year. A corrections officer at a low-security facility described the impact: “At first it seemed like it was going to be no big deal, and then over the last week or so we already lost five, and then we have another 10 to 15 in various stages of waiting for a start date. For us, that’s almost 20% of our custody staff.”
With staffing levels at what agency leadership describes as “catastrophic” lows, teachers and medical personnel are frequently pulled from their usual duties to serve as corrections officers, straining services for inmates and increasing risks for everyone inside.
The BOP has tried to slow the exodus through signing bonuses and accelerated hiring, but stagnant budgets and rising operational costs have forced the agency to cut spending by 20%. The shortages have led to dire conditions in prisons nationwide, with basic supplies like food, soap, and toilet paper in short supply. “You have to literally go around carrying your own roll of toilet paper,” said a Texas officer. “No paper towels, you have to bring your own stuff. No soap.” Some facilities are even falling behind on utility bills and have faced near food shortages, according to Brandy Moore White, national president of the prison workers union.
White noted that past departures tended to involve workers near retirement, but the current wave is largely younger staff who are not eligible for retirement—a trend she calls deeply concerning. “From what I can remember, this is the biggest exodus of younger staff,” she said.
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