President Donald Trump is seeking to increase the nation’s border security budget by nearly $44 billion for the fiscal year 2026, raising the Department of Homeland Security budget to $107 billion from $65 billion. This one-time funding surge aims to support the president’s proposed deportation campaign, construct border fencing, modernize the Coast Guard fleet, and enhance Secret Service operations. However, the proposal includes cuts to programs that assist vulnerable migrants or invest in migrants’ home countries to address the root causes of migration.

The funding boost would benefit agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), crucial to Trump’s deportation and border security strategies. While the increased budget could potentially cover additional staffing and charter flights for deportations, challenges remain. ICE has faced difficulties in recruiting and hiring despite having funding available, indicating that obstacles persist even with financial support.

According to Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh from the Migration Policy Institute, the proposed funds could address some issues, but significant hurdles remain for the administration to execute deportations at the desired scale. Ultimately, Congress has the authority to allocate funds, highlighting the importance of legislative decisions in shaping the government’s financial priorities.