02.20.25

The Trump Administration Needs Resources to Secure the Border. Senate Republicans Are Acting.

“[G]iven Trump's significant actions to address illegal immigration, money is running out…”

“[G]iven Trump's significant actions to address illegal immigration, money is running out…”

“It’s time to act on the decisive mandate the American people gave to President Trump in November. Securing the border, rebuilding our defense, and unleashing American energy. That starts this week with passing Chairman @LindseyGrahamSC’s budget. Let’s get it done.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

“OMB Director Vought and Border Czar Homan told Senate Republicans that ICE is running out of money. We’ve got to keep our foot on the gas. Build the wall, deport illegal aliens, and create additional detention space so we don’t have to release illegal immigrants into the community... Taking up the budget resolution this week now puts us one step closer to the most transformational border security bill in history. Time is of the essence.” – Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CLEAR: THEY NEED IMMEDIATE FUNDING TO SECURE THE BORDER AND PROTECT AMERICANS

“The more money we have, the more we can do. And I think this election proves that the American people support the removals of criminal aliens in this country. So I’m looking for Congress to come through and give us the budget we need.” – White House Border Czar Tom Homan

“President Trump has promised to seal our borders, protect American communities, and address the significant illegal alien population let into this country over the last four years. In order to accomplish these goals, and keep Americans safe, we need to secure the border in a lasting manner and permanently dismantle the transnational criminal organizations behind the smuggling of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our communities… In order to deliver on President Trump’s promises to the American people, our agencies need the resources to succeed.” – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

  • Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought emphasized to Republican senators “the urgent need for border security funding on Tuesday, telling them an immediate $175 billion is necessary.”
    • “[G]iven Trump's significant actions to address illegal immigration, money is running out, and for the administration to keep enforcing the new policies and conducting operations across the country, those resources must be renewed.”
    • “The $175 billion topline request has already been factored into Senate Committee on the Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham's reconciliation bill...”  (Fox News: SCOOP: Trump budget chief Vought tells GOP senators $175B needed 'immediately' for border security – 2/11/25)
  • In addition to Vought’s plea, “Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Pam Bondi penned a letter to top appropriators in the House and Senate, pleading with them to designate more funds to the cause of securing the U.S. southern border.”
    • They requested funding for “additional law enforcement officers; military personnel, including Active Duty and State and National Guard; aircraft and additional means of transportation to facilitate deportations; both materials and workers to finish construction of ‘a permanent barrier’ at the border; additional immigration judges to quickly decide cases and clear the backlog; and more facilities to detain illegal immigrant[s] waiting for deportation.” (Fox News: Noem, Hegseth, Bondi plead with Congress for more border funding amid large-scale deportations – 2/11/25)

SENATE REPUBLICANS’ BUDGET RESOLUTION WOULD UNLOCK $175 BILLION IN FUNDING SO THE ADMINISTRATION CAN KEEP ENFORCING ITS SUCCESSFUL POLICIES

  • Senate Republicans’ budget resolution would unlock $175 billion in urgently needed border security funding intended “to secure the border and continue undoing Biden-era immigration policies…” (Politico: Senate gets moving on two-track budget plan – 2/12/25; Fox News: SCOOP: Trump budget chief Vought tells GOP senators $175B needed 'immediately' for border security – 2/11/25)
  • The resolution would lay the groundwork to provide funding that:
    • Secures the border, including: finishing the border wall and updating outdated border technology; increasing the number of detention beds needed to process illegal immigrant arrests and removals; hiring more ICE officers, Border Patrol agents, assistant U.S. attorneys, and immigration judges; and providing “investments in state and local law enforcement to facilitate cooperation with federal law enforcement and immigration enforcement and removal efforts.” (U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget: Chairman Graham Unveils FY 2025 Budget Resolution To Secure The Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production And Begin The Process Of Restoring Fiscal Sanity – 2/7/25)
  • In January: “In the three weeks before the inauguration, there was a daily average of more than 2,000 apprehensions, which fell to a daily average of 786 migrant apprehensions after the inauguration.” (ABC News: Apprehensions along the southwestern border plummeted in January: CBP – 2/18/25)
  • “White House border czar Tom Homan said the reduction of illegal crossers was the response to Trump administration policies in just the first few weeks...” (The Washington Examiner: The border transforms from years of chaos to silence as Trump takes over – 2/13/25)

CONGRESS’ INABILITY TO IMMEDIATELY PASS BORDER SECURITY FUNDING WILL HAMPER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORTS

  • “Trump border czar Tom Homan and OMB chief Russell Vought told Republican senators that the administration is running out of money for their immigration crackdown.” (Axios: Trump White House tells Congress it needs border cash now – 2/11/25)
  • Already, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is releasing some migrant detainees, in some cases dozens per day, as space in its detention system has exceeded maximum capacity amid a spike in arrests by the agency under President Trump, internal government statistics obtained by CBS News show.” (CBS News: ICE releases some migrant detainees as its detention facilities reach 109% capacity – 2/5/25)
  • “[S]pace inside ICE detention facilities was at 109% capacity, with the agency holding close to 42,000 migrant detainees, despite having, on paper, a 38,521-bed capacity…” (CBS News: ICE releases some migrant detainees as its detention facilities reach 109% capacity – 2/5/25)
  • “ICE has historically been underfunded and has a limited number of agents.” (CNN: How the Trump administration is building out its immigration enforcement machine – 2/2/25)
  • “ICE was facing a $230 million budget shortfall even before Trump took office and ramped up deportations, when it averaged around 282 arrests per day.” (NBC News: Trump administration may pull money from TSA, Coast Guard to help ICE afford costly deportations – 1/28/25)