The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering reallocating budget funds in favor of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to cover the costs of mass migrant deportations, NBC News reports, citing sources.
According to the network, ICE—the key agency responsible for fulfilling Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations—has faced funding shortages. As a result, authorities are discussing the possibility of shifting funds from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to support the immigration agency.
Former and current officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told NBC News that the average cost of deporting one migrant during Joe Biden’s administration was approximately $10,500, including detention and transportation to their country of origin.
Earlier, The New York Post reported that the Trump administration had increased the daily quota for detaining illegal migrants to 1,800 people.
In his inaugural speech on January 20, upon assuming office as the 47th President of the United States, Trump vowed to immediately halt illegal immigration and begin large-scale deportations. He also declared a nationwide state of emergency due to the situation at the country’s southern border.
