Congress is currently debating how much federal funding should be spent on immigration enforcement and border security.
It’s important to understand how much taxpayer money we have already spent on immigration enforcement—and the outcomes produced.
The American Immigration Council’s fact sheet provides you with an overview of the Department of Homeland Security’s spending on immigration enforcement since it was created in 2003:
- The U.S. has spent an estimated $381 billion on immigration enforcement since 2003 alone.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s annual budget grew from $5.9 billion in 2003 to $17.1 billion in 2019.
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s annual budget more than doubled, rising from $3.3 billion to $8.4 billion, during the same period.
Border security is important, but we must spend taxpayer money in smart and efficient ways while also continuing to honor our commitment to serve as a safe haven.
Knowing more about our current practices will help us envision a better border.
