ICE detention funding now 5 times higher than federal prison system budget

Congress has approved a historic $170 billion immigration enforcement package that includes $45 billion to nearly double the nation’s capacity to detain immigrants, marking the largest expansion of the detention system in U.S. history.

What we know: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed Thursday provides $45 billion for immigrant detention centers over four years — exceeding what the government spent on detention during the Obama, Biden and first Trump administrations combined. The funding boost represents a 265% increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) current detention budget, making it over five times higher than the current $8.3 billion budget of the U.S. federal prison system. The broader $170 billion package includes $46.5 billion for border wall construction and new immigration fees, including a $100 minimum for asylum applications. President Donald Trump signed the legislation Friday.

What authorities are saying: ICE officials say they plan to use the funds to roughly double detention capacity to 100,000 beds, up from 59,000 current detainees. “This bill will make our communities safer by making a historic investment in our border security,” Rep. Addison McDowell (R-N.C.) said Thursday morning on the House floor. Border czar Tom Homan told NewsNation that “Everybody we arrest, we need a bed, because they’re going to be in detention from several days to several months.” The funding will support hiring 10,000 new ICE agents, though former acting ICE director John Sandweg told Politico this is “way harder than it sounds” and could take three years.

Broader implications: The expansion comes as enforcement has shifted dramatically. A CBS analysis shows detentions of immigrants without criminal histories rose over 250% since May, with non-criminals now outnumbering those with convictions 2:1 in new arrests. Only 8% of all detainees have been convicted of violent crimes, with traffic violations being most common. Critics warn the rapid expansion could strain oversight, as DHS has already shuttered its internal detention monitoring office. At least 10 immigrants died in ICE custody during the first half of the year.

The Trump administration has three-and-a-half years to implement the unprecedented expansion and reach its goal of 1 million annual deportations.