Trump Shifts Billions in Military Funds to Immigration Operations

Democratic lawmakers have accused the Trump administration of diverting more than $2 billion from US military funds in 2025 to support immigration enforcement operations, according to a report released on Capitol Hill. Titled “Draining Defense: Trump’s Immigration Stunts Cost Billions at the Expense of Military Readiness, Morale, and National Security,” the report argues that the spending undermined the Pentagon’s core national security mission.

The report states that the Department of Defense obligated billions of dollars toward immigration-related activities, much of which has not been reimbursed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a result, funds were allegedly pulled from essential military priorities, including training programs, housing repairs, infrastructure upgrades, and even maintenance of schools attended by servicemembers’ children.

Lawmakers detailed extensive deployments of active-duty troops and National Guard units for immigration enforcement. Border operations alone reportedly cost $1.3 billion, while deployments within US cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis added another $258 million. A single operation in Los Angeles to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cost an estimated $172 million.

Also Read: ‘Worst of the Worst’: Trump Orders Immigration Crackdown in New Orleans

The report also highlighted high-cost detention operations on military installations. More than $420 million was spent on detention-related activities, including over $363 million at Fort Bliss, Texas, which lawmakers say violated dozens of federal detention standards. The administration’s expanded use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention reportedly cost $40 million in just one month.

Additional costs stemmed from the use of military aircraft for deportations, which lawmakers say are significantly more expensive than civilian alternatives. Flying a C-17 aircraft costs about $28,500 per hour, compared to $8,500 for standard ICE flights. By September 2025, at least $33.1 million had been spent on military deportation flights, including several costly flights to India.

Beyond financial concerns, the report warns of serious risks to military readiness. Combat-certified units were reassigned to immigration duties, while National Guard deployments reduced states’ capacity to respond to natural disasters. Lawmakers called on the administration to halt the diversions, fully reimburse the Pentagon, and refocus military resources on global security challenges critical to US allies and partners.

Also Read: Green Card Interviews Turn Grim as US Immigration Detains Foreign-Born Spouses in San Diego