New Reconciliation Bill Would Dump Over $70 Billion More Into ICE and CBP Despite Massive Public Backlash

The Senate’s newly released reconciliation bill text reveals a staggering $70 billion boost in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This comes on top of the roughly $171 billion these agencies received just last year, of which between $125 billion and $150 billion reportedly remains unspent, according to FWD.us President Todd Schulte.

“This would mean a quarter trillion dollars funneled into ICE and CBP over the next three years, even as public opposition to the administration’s aggressive detention and enforcement policies hits an all-time high,” Schulte said in a statement. The proposed funding surge is especially galling given the administration’s simultaneous cuts to health care and other vital social programs.

FWD.us highlights the disconnect between taxpayer dollars and outcomes, pointing to past spending on controversial contracts riddled with corruption allegations, the construction of massive detention facilities, and documented violence—including incidents in Minneapolis—that have only fueled public outrage. “Over a hundred billion remains unaccounted for. Where did it go? If they have it, why give them more?” Schulte asked bluntly.

The group also underscores voters’ deep dissatisfaction with ICE’s tactics, which include warrantless arrests and raids targeting sensitive locations like daycares, schools, and churches, often accompanied by racial profiling. “Voters do not want more money sent to ICE and CBP,” Schulte emphasized.

With this likely the last chance for lawmakers to pass major legislation this year, FWD.us calls the bill’s priorities “shocking on policy and political grounds.” Instead of addressing the cost of living crisis or restoring Medicaid cuts, the bill doubles down on funding agencies widely seen as terrorizing communities.

This development signals a dangerous escalation in enforcement spending that ignores public outcry and raises urgent questions about accountability and transparency in how these billions are spent. As the reconciliation bill moves forward, advocates warn that unchecked funding for ICE and CBP threatens to deepen abuses and further erode trust in government.