WASHINGTON, Dec 21 — President Donald Trump is preparing to intensify immigration enforcement in 2026 by directing billions in new resources toward U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol, and by expanding workplace raids — moves that are drawing mounting political resistance ahead of next year’s elections.
Under a spending package passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July, ICE and Border Patrol will receive roughly $170 billion in additional funding through September 2029, a dramatic increase compared with their typical combined annual budgets of about $19 billion. Administration officials say the money will be used to hire thousands of additional agents, open new detention facilities, increase transfers of immigrants from local jails into federal custody, and contract outside firms to locate people without lawful status.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. federal agents smash a car window while trying to detain a man during an immigration raid, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., December 17, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File Photo
What the Plan Includes
Officials and senior administration aides describe plans that include:
- Mass hiring of enforcement officers and expanded detention capacity.
- More aggressive operations in cities and a renewed focus on workplace enforcement, including raids at farms, factories and other job sites.
- Increased use of partnerships with local law enforcement and private contractors to track and apprehend people suspected of lacking legal status.
Political Backlash and Public Reaction
The ramp-up comes amid growing public unease and political pushback. Miami — one of the cities most affected by the crackdown — last week elected its first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years; local leaders and voters said enforcement tactics were a factor. Polling indicates Trump’s approval on immigration has slipped from about 50% in March to roughly 41% by mid-December, eroding what had been one of his strongest issues.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. military members walk near the Washington Monument, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act and the deployment of the National Guard to assist in crime prevention in the nation's capital, in Washington, D.C., August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez
Mike Madrid, a moderate Republican strategist, warned the tactics are being seen as a broader rights issue: 'People are beginning to see this not as an immigration question anymore as much as it is a violation of rights, a violation of due process and militarizing neighborhoods extraconstitutionally.'
Critics point to reports of masked federal agents using aggressive methods — including tear gas in residential areas — and incidents in which U.S. citizens were detained, fueling lawsuits and protests alleging racial profiling and excessive force.
Data and Legal Implications
Administration measures have also included revocations of temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian, Venezuelan and Afghan nationals, expanding the population potentially subject to removal. Officials continue to assert a goal of deporting up to 1 million people per year, though that target is widely seen as unlikely to be met. To date, about 622,000 immigrants have been deported since the administration took office in January.
FILE PHOTO: Police officers check individuals at the Anacostia bus station in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo
Government figures cited by Reuters show that a growing share of those arrested by ICE lacked any criminal record beyond alleged immigration violations: roughly 41% of about 54,000 people detained by late November had no criminal history beyond suspected immigration infractions, compared with about 6% in the first weeks of January before the administration began its recent crackdowns.
The administration has also taken actions affecting legal immigrants, including arrests of spouses at green card interviews, removing some people from naturalization ceremonies moments before they were to take the oath, and revoking thousands of student visas.
FILE PHOTO: Federal agents chase a man through a parking lot in the Avondale neighborhood following a confrontation during immigration raids, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., October 25, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File Photo
Economic Impact
Targeting workplaces could drive further arrests and disrupt labor supply in industries that rely heavily on immigrant workers. Employers replacing detained workers may face higher labor costs, a potential headwind to efforts to curb inflation — a top issue for voters ahead of the November elections. Some businesses have briefly closed or lost customers amid enforcement operations, and some parents at risk of arrest have kept children home from school.
Outlook
White House border czar Tom Homan told Reuters he expects arrest totals to rise sharply as ICE expands staffing and detention capacity. 'I think you're going to see the numbers explode greatly next year,' he said, adding that workplace enforcement is included in the administration's plans. Advocates on both sides of the debate say the approach could reshape local politics, influence business behavior, and prompt additional legal challenges.
(Reporting by Ted Hesson and Jeff Mason in Washington; Kristina Cooke in San Francisco. Editing by Craig Timberg and Aurora Ellis.)
