Big Budget Act Creates a “Deportation-Industrial Complex”
The result will be a lopsided, enforcement-only machine that will be hard to dismantle.

Margy O’Herron
August 13, 2025

[….]

The biggest piece of the pie for enforcement operations in the United States will go to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest, detain, and deport immigrants. Congress gave ICE $75 billion over four years, approximately $18.7 billion each year. Added to the $10 billion Congress already appropriated ICE for fiscal year 2025 in March, ICE now has $28.7 billion at its disposal this year. That $28.7 billion figure is nearly triple ICE’s entire budget for FY24.

Two-thirds of ICE’s funding – $45 billion over four years – will be used to detain immigrants, potentially more than 100,000 people per year. The $11.25 billion added to ICE’s annual detention budget is a 400% increase from last year and exceeds the Department of Justice budget request for Fiscal Year 2026 for the entire federal prison system, which holds 155,000 people.

[….]

The $170 billion price tag for immigration enforcement eclipses other law enforcement expenditures at the federal, state, and local level. It is more than the annual expenditures on police by state and local governments in all 50 states and the District of Columbia combined.

Even the slice that goes just to ICE this year – nearly $29 billion – exceeds the budgets for all other non-immigration federal law enforcement functions put together, eclipsing funding to agencies whose law enforcement missions involve pursuing terrorists, violent criminals, sex offenders, fentanyl and other drug traffickers, and gun traffickers.

[….]

Today:

Governor Kehoe Authorizes Missouri National Guard to Support Immigration and Customs Enforcement
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025

Jefferson City — Governor Mike Kehoe announced today that he has authorized the Missouri National Guard (MONG) to assist with administrative, clerical, and logistical duties at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facilities within the State of Missouri. This decision comes in response to a request for assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the Department of War (DOW) to ensure the resources and personnel needed to effectively enforce immigration laws and maintain operational control of the border.

Missouri National Guard service members will provide support starting October 1, 2025, by assisting with tasks such as data entry, case management, and logistical support, enabling ICE personnel to focus on core enforcement and security functions. MONG personnel who have been assigned to this mission were selected on a volunteer basis.

“Public safety, keeping Missourians safe, and upholding the rule of law is our administration’s top priority,” said Governor Kehoe. “The Missouri National Guard is uniquely equipped to provide this essential administrative support, and we are confident their contributions will be invaluable to immigration enforcement efforts. Missouri is proud to join in the Trump administration’s efforts to keep our state and nation secure.”

On July 25, 2025, the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved the duty status of DOW military personnel providing support at ICE processing facilities allowing for Title 32 duty status, which is a federally funded status under authority of the Governor. The Missouri National Guard regularly works alongside local, state, and federal agencies in support roles to ensure the safety and security of communities.

Military personnel are authorized to be on duty for this mission through September 30, 2026.

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“…the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth…”

Have you ever seen so much performative bullshit in one place?

“…Military personnel are authorized to be on duty for this mission through September 30, 2026.”

A year.

“…Even the slice that goes just to ICE this year – nearly $29 billion – exceeds the budgets for all other non-immigration federal law enforcement functions put together…”

Wait, if ICE has all that money why do they need the Missouri National Guard? Just asking

Yes. Yes, he is.