ICE holds $240 billion in funding despite Texas election shift

The U.S. government allocated approximately $240 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol in 2025 and 2026, securing the budget for mass deportation operations through the end of President Trump's term. This funding level makes ICE the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency in the country, a financial position that now faces scrutiny from a newly empowered Democratic opposition.

The political pressure stems from the midterm elections held on November 3, 2026. Texans elected Gina Hinojosa as the state's first Latina Democratic governor and the state's first Democratic U.S. senator in nearly 40 years. The Texas House of Representatives also flipped to Democratic control. Counties along the U.S.-Mexico border, which supported President Trump in 2024, voted for Democratic candidates this time, signaling a shift driven by immigration policy concerns.

In the days before the vote, voters in Houston left "I voted" stickers on a memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a local man killed by federal immigration agents earlier in the year. His son, Ronaldo Salgado, stated that the turnout demonstrated a duty for incoming lawmakers to listen to immigrant communities. Artemio Muñiz of the Texas Federation of Hispanic Republicans noted that the Hispanic community became fed up with anti-immigrant policies, calling for a legal pathway for long-term residents.

Following the results, the administration moved to consolidate control over immigration policy. On Friday, the White House promoted Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. Miller, who is considered the architect of the first term's child separation policy, has focused on immigration control and mass deportations. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin posted on social media the day after the election that deportations will continue.

Democrats in the new Congress have outlined specific oversight mechanisms. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who is likely to chair the House Homeland Security Committee, said he intends to require body-worn cameras for federal agents and ban face coverings. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who will chair the House oversight committee, advised Republicans to "lawyer up." The ACLU's Naureen Shah argued that congressional subpoenas are a powerful tool to make ICE agents accountable for their actions.

The private sector monitoring these funds also reacted quickly. The day after the election, CoreCivic and GEO Group held quarterly investor calls. Investors at the CoreCivic call asked how the midterm results would affect ICE operations. Lucibeth Mayberry, CoreCivic president, told investors that ICE has secure funding to increase enforcement activity. She advised the ICE administration to move quickly on purchasing new detention centers.