Trump’s Big Bill Funds Mass Deportations as Congress Questions Costs

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, visited Capitol Hill weeks after Inauguration Day with one request: more money for border security and mass deportations.

By summer, Congress delivered. The Republican tax and spending package, signed July 4, included almost $170 billion for the Department of Homeland Security — nearly double its annual budget. This funding is driving the largest domestic deportation campaign in U.S. history.

Record Funding for ICE

The law allocated $30 billion for ICE officers, $45 billion for detention facilities, and $10 billion for Secretary Kristi Noem’s office. Homeland Security also announced $50,000 hiring bonuses for new ICE recruits.

Beyond the bill, the administration shifted up to $1 billion from agencies like FEMA to fund deportation operations. Critics, including Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called the spending “unsustainable” and accused DHS of creating a “mass deportation army.”

Congress Seeks Answers

House Homeland Security Chairman Andrew Garbarino and Rep. Michael Guest requested a briefing on how DHS will spend the money. They noted that border apprehensions remain at record lows despite the funding surge.

DHS confirmed it plans to expand detention capacity, including housing detainees at Fort Bliss and other military bases. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the department is “pursuing all available options” to meet its goals.

Deportations Move Inland

Analysts say the funding enables DHS to target communities far from the border. Raids have increased at job sites, schools, and public areas. Detention centers — from “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida to a repurposed prison in Kansas — are opening nationwide.

Homan insists those detained are “the worst of the worst.” Reports, however, show many have no criminal charges beyond immigration violations.

Public Opinion Shifts

A Gallup poll found 79% of Americans view immigration as a “good thing,” up from 64% last year. Still, a July AP-NORC poll showed Trump’s immigration approval at 43%, down from 49% in March.

Protesters continue to rally against ICE operations, and critics warn the rapid expansion of detention sites threatens civil liberties.

SOURCE: AP News