- Approximately $46 billion is designated for border wall and barrier construction.
- An estimated $45 billion is allocated for expanding detention capacity.
- A substantial $30 billion is earmarked for ICE operations, including the hiring of 10,000 new agents.
- Another $13.5 billion will go towards state and local cost-reimbursement programs.
- DHS reimbursements are set to receive $10 billion.
- The immigration court system will see a $3.3 billion expansion for administration and support.
- CBP facility upgrades and staffing will benefit from $5 billion.
- Other smaller allocations contribute to the staggering total, raising ICE and CBP’s combined annual funding from a previous average of $8-10 billion to over $30 billion per year through fiscal year 2029.
This dramatic surge in funding signals a clear intent to move beyond traditional enforcement strategies, empowering ICE to undertake what many legal and political analysts suggest will be a full-scale eradication of all individuals in the United States illegally or out-of-status.
The enhanced budget allows for a significant expansion of ICE’s operational capabilities, enabling the agency to pursue its mission with unprecedented zeal. Historically, a primary focus of mass deportation sweeps has been on illegal immigrants and criminals of Mexican descent, largely due to the relative ease of intercrossing borders for these individuals. However, with the new financial backing and a presumed saturation of enforcement efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border, the strategic calculus for ICE is believed to be shifting.
The Next Wave: Chinese and Indian Nationals
Legal and political analyses suggest that the next major target for widespread mass deportations will be individuals of Chinese and Indian descent who are in the U.S. illegally. This shift is predicated on a stark reality: unlike Mexican nationals, many Chinese and Indian nationals in the U.S. illegally are effectively “stuck in place.” The implementation of REAL ID standards has significantly complicated domestic air travel for those without compliant identification, and the knowledge that leaving the U.S. to visit their home countries would preclude their re-entry renders them, as some have termed, “sitting ducks.”
Data from ICE indicates that Indian nationals constitute the fourth-largest group of detainees in U.S. facilities, with 2,647 individuals currently held, following Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Furthermore, 17,940 Indian nationals are on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders, awaiting deportation.
Deportations of Indian nationals have already seen a significant increase since the Trump administration took office, with total deportations across all nationalities reaching 271,484 this fiscal year, a sharp rise from 59,011 in FY 2021. Many of these Indian immigrants initially entered the country for economic reasons, frequently through fraudulent means such as visa abuse, as they often do not qualify for asylum. The allure of successful employment in the U.S., influenced by others from their country, has driven this trend, but the landscape is rapidly changing.
The focus on Chinese nationals is also gaining momentum. In early June 2025, ICE Dallas deported 122 Chinese nationals, a group that notably included convicted murderers and human smugglers. This particular operation involved 96 men and 26 women from across the U.S., many of whom had criminal convictions and final orders of removal. Among those removed were:
