U.S. immigration enforcement is heading into its most aggressive expansion in decades after the Republican-led Congress passed a sweeping budget bill that funnels more than $150 billion into President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. The legislation, which Trump has vowed to sign by Friday, marks a seismic shift in U.S. immigration policy—empowering federal agencies to detain, deport, and deter on an unprecedented scale.
DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol Get Massive Funding Boost
The lion’s share of the funding is directed to the Department of Homeland Security and its enforcement arms—Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The budget increase, stacked on top of existing allocations, will fast-track the construction of detention facilities, fund thousands of new agent hires, and restart large-scale border wall projects.
“It’s transformational,” said Gil Kerlikowske, former head of CBP under President Obama. “It elevates immigration enforcement to a level we’ve never seen before.”
The bill also makes it more expensive to stay in the U.S. legally, raising fees for asylum seekers, work permits, and humanitarian protections—while pairing the crackdown with sweeping domestic cuts, including reductions to Medicaid and other safety-net programs.
Border Wall Rebooted
One of Trump’s most symbolic—and divisive—campaign promises, the border wall is back at the center of federal immigration efforts. Backed by $46.5 billion in new funds, construction is ramping up across key areas of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Among the initial projects: a $70 million contract to expand barriers in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley and $309 million to build 27 new miles of wall in Arizona’s Tucson sector. Though crossings in these regions have dropped significantly in recent months, the administration says the new wall sections are essential to prevent future surges.
Critics, however, question the need. DHS data shows migrant arrests in June were at their lowest point in decades—a trend driven by strict Trump-era enforcement, leftover Biden asylum restrictions, and expanded migration crackdowns by Mexican authorities.
Detention Capacity Set to Surge
The bill earmarks $45 billion for federal immigration detention expansion—offering a lifeline to ICE, which has been overwhelmed by surging arrest targets and insufficient jail space. By the end of June, ICE held over 59,000 people in custody, far exceeding its funded capacity of about 42,000 beds.
In response, the agency opened a new makeshift detention site in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”—a sprawling complex of tents and trailers built to hold the overflow.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified in May that the administration aims to double detention capacity. Meanwhile, oversight is shrinking. DHS recently shut down its internal detention monitoring office, and lawmakers are considering eliminating its funding entirely—prompting alarm among civil rights groups.
ICE Gets $30 Billion Infusion
ICE will receive $30 billion—triple its usual budget—to supercharge enforcement. The funds will support expanded arrest and removal operations, a hiring spree for deportation officers and legal staff, tech upgrades, and increased transportation for detainees.
ICE, already stretched thin, has been borrowing personnel from the IRS and National Guard units to meet arrest quotas. Now, with dedicated funding, the agency is expected to add 10,000 new positions and offer $10,000 annual bonuses over the next four years.
Border Patrol and Customs Hiring Surge
Another $6.1 billion is set aside for hiring 8,000 new Border Patrol and customs officers. While the funding could strengthen the federal presence along the border, the agencies have long struggled with recruitment due to strict background checks and a grueling training academy.
“Money doesn’t fix everything,” said Theresa Cardinal Brown, a former DHS official under both Bush and Obama. “Hiring and training federal agents takes time, even with funding in place.”
$13.5 Billion for States Like Texas
The bill creates a $13.5 billion reimbursement fund for state and local governments that have taken on their own border security efforts since 2021. Texas, which has aggressively funded its own border wall and migrant transport programs under Gov. Greg Abbott, is expected to claim over $11 billion in reimbursements.
Abbott’s administration has spent millions bussing over 120,000 migrants to cities like New York, Chicago, and even overseas, and says the federal refund validates his approach.
Other states can apply for reimbursements tied to law enforcement or public safety operations involving undocumented immigrants.
Sharp Hike in Immigration Application Fees
To help finance the crackdown, the bill proposes steep increases in immigration fees that could generate tens of billions of dollars. Among the proposed changes:
- $100 fee for asylum applications (currently free)
- $550 for work permit applications
- $500 for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- $1,000 for humanitarian parole applications
- $5,000 fine for migrants who cross between legal ports of entry
Fee waivers for low-income applicants would largely be eliminated—a move immigrant advocates say could make legal pathways inaccessible for the very people who need them most.
A Pivotal Shift
While some conservatives have praised the bill as a long-overdue step toward securing the border, critics argue it fundamentally reshapes the U.S. immigration system by prioritizing deterrence and punishment over due process and humanitarian values.
With Trump expected to sign the bill into law within days, the coming months could mark one of the most aggressive enforcement periods in modern American history—fueling not just deportation but a political showdown over the soul of U.S. immigration policy.
