CBP Reopens Ranks, Eligible Retired Agents Can Earn Double Pay

Job openings are typically for a period of one to four years.

Customs and Border Protection agents check pedestrians as they exit Mexico into the customs area of the United States on the east side of the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 19, 2018. Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is reopening its ranks to allow retired officers and Border Patrol agents to rejoin the agency, CBP said in a Nov. 7 statement.

Former CBP personnel who rejoin can earn double the pay, the agency said.

“Through a Dual Compensation Waiver, eligible retirees can receive their full annuity plus full salary—no reductions, no offsets. It’s a win-win: more financial security and a chance to once again protect the nation’s borders alongside today’s generation of agents and officers,” CBP said.

“It’s not just about filling positions—it’s about bringing back experience, leadership, and legacy.”

The openings are for full-time term appointments that typically last anywhere from one to four years, according to the agency. Term periods may be extended depending on mission requirements, it said.

CBP is currently inviting applications for the posts of “reemployed Border Patrol agents” and “reemployed CBP officers.”

One of the openings for Border Patrol agent (reemployed annuitant) offers a salary of $88,621 to $115,213 per annum, with the application deadline set for April 10, 2026.

According to CBP, applicants should have retired from CBP for at least one year by the deadline of the job posting.

“These initiatives recognize the invaluable experience and dedication of our former personnel,” acting CBP Assistant Commissioner for Human Resources Management Melvin Harris said.

“Their expertise is an asset to CBP, and we’re honored to welcome them back.”

In a Sept. 15 statement, CBP said that it was filling up critical roles and that “significant incentives” were available for recruits.

Newly appointed Border Patrol agents could qualify for recruitment incentives of up to $30,000, it said. CBP officers may receive incentives of 15 percent to 25 percent of their salary based on duty locations.

Air and marine interdiction agents assigned to locations in the Caribbean may also get 25 percent recruitment incentives, the agency said.

“Beyond these incentives, CBP employees benefit from competitive salaries, locality pay, and opportunities for overtime and premium pay beyond the standard 40-hour work week,” CBP stated.

“Many law enforcement positions within CBP also offer enhanced retirement benefits, allowing for earlier retirement with fewer years of service.”

Legal Access for Detainees

The Trump administration’s policies regarding immigration have been criticized by Democrats.

This month, a group of lawmakers from the Democratic Party introduced the “Restoring Access to Detainees Act,” according to a Nov. 7 statement from the office of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

The bill seeks to ensure that noncitizens detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can contact legal counsel and families, it said.

“The bill comes after months of credible reporting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have deprived detained individuals—including children and longtime legal residents—of the ability to access a lawyer, sometimes for months at a time,” Padilla said at the time.

The bill has endorsements from groups such as the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the National Immigrant Justice Center, and the National Immigration Law Center.

In an Oct. 1 statement, DHS dismissed claims that detainees being held in immigration facilities were being denied access to lawyers.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent from the Big Bend Sector demonstrates the use of a drone to detect illegal immigrants near the Marfa checkpoint in Texas on Nov. 3, 2025. Herika Martinez/AFP via Getty Images

“All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members,” DHS said at the time.

Multiple immigration-related federal agencies have reported a surge in applicants and recruitment under the Trump administration.

In a Nov. 7 post on X, DHS said ICE had received more than 200,000 job applications since launching the “Defend the Homeland” recruitment drive in late July.

The Coast Guard said in a Nov. 7 post on X that it had achieved “record-breaking” recruiting results, hitting 121 percent of its active-duty target goal for fiscal year 2025.

According to DHS, Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received an “overwhelming” 35,000-plus applications since launching its hiring campaign in late September.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said: “USCIS is not wasting time; we are committed to implementing President [Donald] Trump’s priorities. These candidates are not just applying for a job—they are applying to guard our values and defend our homeland.”

The surge in ICE recruitment comes at a time when there is an 8,000 percent jump in threats against ICE law enforcement officers, according to DHS.

CBP touted the lowest border crossings in October history and the sixth straight month with zero releases recently.