Congress Boosts ICE Funding By $75 Billion, Shielding Agency From Oversight

Congressional Republicans secured a $75 billion funding infusion for ICE through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“The United States emerged on Tuesday from a shutdown lasting more than three days after the House of Representatives passed a budget measure quickly signed by Donald Trump”

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This funding came with few strings attached, effectively insulating ICE from congressional pressure and oversight.

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Sam Bagenstos described it as a massive shoveling of cash to an agency with few if any strings.

The funding allowed ICE to continue operating at full speed during a record-long DHS shutdown.

The DHS entered budgetary paralysis after Democrats refused to fund the department without ICE reforms.

ICE and Border Patrol operations continued largely unimpaired due to the prior funding infusion.

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TSA warned that a prolonged shutdown could cause staffing shortages and delays at airports.

The funding infusion also allowed ICE to hire thousands of agents and expand detention capacity.

Democrats conditioned DHS funding on ICE reforms after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

“For weeks we have been pushing for common-sense reforms, Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer said on February 12, ahead of the partial shutdown set to take effect at midnight on the night of February 13–14”

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Chuck Schumer said, The Democrats will not sign a blank check for chaos.

The House vote was close, with 21 Republicans opposing and 21 Democrats joining the majority.

The DHS funding remained excluded from the agreement and was set for renegotiation.

John Sandweg said annual appropriations act as a tempering influence on the agency.

The $75 billion infusion had very few specific guardrails.

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Then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem used some funds to buy two luxury jets.

The funding proved a boon for private prison companies like CoreCivic and Geo Group.