Historic $170 Billion Budget for Mass Deportations: Trump Escalates Campaign Amid Declining Public Support

The U.S. Congress has approved a massive spending package, allocating an additional $170 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through September 2029. This unprecedented funding—up from a $19 billion annual budget—aims to fuel the most extensive deportation campaign in modern U.S. history, including the construction of new detention centers and private-sector partnerships for surveillance.

Targeting Non-Criminals and Legal Immigrants Official data reveals a significant shift in enforcement tactics: 41% of the 54,000 detainees as of November have no criminal record beyond immigration violations, compared to just 6% before Trump took office. The crackdown has even reached legal residents, with reports of spouses of U.S. citizens being arrested during residency interviews and thousands of student visas being revoked.

The "Miami Signal" and Shifting Polls Despite the massive budget, public support for Trump’s immigration policies has dropped from 50% in March to 41% in mid-December. Critics point to the "militarization of neighborhoods" as a key factor. Notably, Miami elected its first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years, signaling a major political shift in one of the cities most affected by these aggressive enforcement measures.