DOD Encourages Civilian Volunteers to Assist with Immigration Operations

In 2025, the Department of Defense (DOD) established a program through which it encouraged its civilian employees to volunteer for temporary 60-day assignments to the Department of Homeland Security to assist with immigration enforcement functions. In March 2026, DOD issued an announcement renewing the call for its employees to volunteer for this ongoing program. Volunteers are assigned to support roles within ICE and CBP — including data entry, operational planning support, processing logistics, and call center work — at locations including San Diego, El Paso, Chicago, and Williston, Vermont. The announcement indicated that 1,000 employees had volunteered to be considered and that 200 had been selected.