With a Record Budget and an Expanded Security Campaign… Trump Administration Redefines the Immigration Scene in America

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to open a more stringent chapter in the file of illegal immigration as 2026 approaches, through unprecedented funding packages and a wide-ranging expansion of tracking and arrest operations, in a move observers see as having electoral dimensions as much as reflecting a profound security and political shift.

According to Reuters, Trump has decided to move forward with expanding the mass deportation campaign for immigrants, despite rising popular and political opposition, as the midterm congressional elections approach next year, in which Republicans aim to maintain their majority.

Field Deployment and Early Escalation

In recent months, the U.S. administration has deployed immigration enforcement personnel to major cities, where they have conducted raids in residential neighborhoods and clashed with residents, in scenes that have sparked widespread debate about the limits of the use of force and the powers of federal agencies.

Despite conducting prominent raids inside companies and offices, authorities have largely avoided targeting large farms and factories known historically for relying on undocumented immigrant labor.

Unprecedented Financial Leap

The most significant transformation lies in funding. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and Border Patrol will receive additional allocations of up to $170 billion until September 2029, compared to their current annual budgets of around $19 billion.

This leap came after Congress, dominated by Republicans, approved a massive spending package last July, granting the White House significant financial leeway to implement its hardline agenda.

Sources within the U.S. administration say the plan includes hiring thousands of new personnel, opening additional detention centers, using local jails to hold immigrants, and partnering with private companies to enhance tracking and arrest capabilities.

Domestic Political Repercussions

In a sign of increasing public discontent, Miami elected its first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years last week, in a city that is one of the most affected by immigration policies, given its significant immigrant population.

Other local elections and polls have shown a rising concern, even among conservative voters, about methods described as violent or exceeding legal frameworks in dealing with immigration issues.

“Militarization of Neighborhoods”

Moderate Republican strategist Mike Madrid states that what is happening “is no longer viewed as an immigration issue as much as it is a violation of rights and legal procedures, and militarization of neighborhoods outside the constitutional framework,” warning that this path could turn into a political burden for Trump and his party.

Trump's approval rating on immigration has dropped from 50% in March to 41% by mid-December, amid circulating images of masked federal agents using tear gas within neighborhoods and mistakenly detaining American citizens.

Social and Economic Costs

On the ground, the repercussions of the campaign have become clear. Some businesses have closed their doors to avoid raids or due to a decline in customers, while parents at risk of detention have kept their children away from schools or sought neighbors to take them, fearing arrest.

The concern has reached a point where some American citizens now carry their passports within the country, fearing suspicion about their identities.

Data from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency shows that 41% of nearly 54,000 people arrested by late November have no criminal records, except for immigration-related violations.

Targeting Beyond the Undocumented

The measures have not been limited to undocumented immigrants. Arrests have also targeted legal immigrants, including spouses of American citizens during permanent residency interviews, and individuals on the verge of obtaining U.S. citizenship, in addition to the cancellation of thousands of student visas.

While Trump justifies these policies by the need to stop what he describes as the “chaos” witnessed at the borders during the term of his predecessor Joe Biden, his critics argue that the United States is entering an unprecedented phase of tightening immigration, which may redefine the relationship between the state and immigrants and pose a harsh test for concepts of rights and freedoms within American society.