Trump Signs $70 Billion 'Secure America Act' to Fund ICE and CBP Through 2029

On June 10, 2026, President Donald Trump signed the Secure America Act into law, securing nearly $70 billion in funding for federal immigration enforcement through the end of his term in 2029. The legislation effectively ends a bitter, four-month standoff on Capitol Hill that had partially shut down the Department of Homeland Security.[1][2][4]

The package allocates $38.5 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and $26 billion to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with an additional $5 billion directed to DHS contingency operations. To bypass a filibuster in the Senate, lawmakers utilized the budget reconciliation process—a fast-track legislative maneuver requiring only a simple majority.[3][6][7][8]

The Senate passed the measure 52-47 after a marathon "vote-a-rama" session, with Senator Lisa Murkowski standing as the sole defector from the majority party. Days later, the House narrowly approved the bill in a 214-212 vote along party lines, sending the massive funding package to the president's desk.[1][2][3][5]

During the Oval Office signing ceremony, President Trump praised the legislation, stating it would "immediately and fully fund" DHS and put an end to the partisan bickering over border security. He credited congressional leadership for pushing the bill across the finish line despite fierce opposition, framing the package as a crucial step in restoring law and order.[2][8]

Administration officials celebrated the financial windfall as a green light for expanded operations. Border Czar Tom Homan promised the public would see an immediate increase in targeting and arrests, noting that the funding allows the government to pay medical contractors and scale up detention capacity. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin echoed those sentiments, calling the resources imperative for executing the agency's mission.[5][8]

However, the legislation has drawn fierce condemnation from civil rights advocates and congressional opposition, who argue it provides a "blank check" to agencies with a history of alleged abuses. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused lawmakers of funding a "violent mass deportation machine" without any oversight or guardrails.[1][4][7]

The initial funding freeze began in January after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents during protests in Minneapolis. In the wake of the killings, opposition lawmakers demanded that any new funding be tied to strict accountability measures, including mandatory body cameras, judicial warrants for private property arrests, and bans on enforcement actions in sensitive locations like hospitals and schools.[1][4]

By using the reconciliation process, the majority stripped out those guardrails entirely, leaving ICE and CBP with unprecedented financial resources and no new congressional oversight requirements. Immigrant advocacy groups warn the funds will be used to rapidly expand the network of private detention centers and accelerate mass deportation operations across the interior of the country.[6][7]

The American Immigration Council noted that the $70 billion comes on top of $170 billion already allocated to DHS last summer through a previous reconciliation bill. According to the organization, this gives the agencies nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars in less than a year, fundamentally transforming the scale of federal immigration enforcement.[6]

Advocates also raised alarms about provisions in the Secure America Act that allow ICE funding to reimburse state and local governments participating in 287(g) agreements. These partnerships, which deputize local police to perform federal immigration duties, have grown exponentially under the current administration, expanding from 135 jurisdictions to over 1,900.[6]

The National Immigrant Justice Center warned that the lack of spending constraints enables the administration to maximize deportations and launch retaliatory campaigns against sanctuary cities that refuse to collaborate with ICE. The group argued that Congress is rewarding agencies that have "wreaked chaos" in immigrant communities.[7]

With the funding secured through September 2029, the administration now has the financial runway to execute its sweeping immigration agenda without needing to return to Congress for annual appropriations. The legislative victory cements a signature policy goal, ensuring that the border security apparatus remains fully funded well into the next presidential term.[1][3][6]