Archive · 13 Dec 2025
Trump Diverted Military Funds for Immigration
The Trump administration took over $2 billion from the military budget in 2025 to help with immigration enforcement.
This money was supposed to be used for things like training, fixing housing, and improving infrastructure.
Instead, it was used for things like sending troops to the border, supporting ICE in cities, and detaining immigrants.
This has made it harder for the military to do its main job and has even affected things like disaster response.
The report says this is a bad idea and that the money should be paid back and not used for immigration anymore.
It also warns that using the military for domestic issues could make it harder for the US to handle global security problems.
The Trump administration diverted $2 billion from military funds in 2025 to support immigration enforcement operations.
The report highlights that this diversion has weakened military readiness and strained servicemembers.
Most of the money has not been reimbursed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The diversions have affected military priorities such as training, housing repairs, and infrastructure upgrades.
The report documents extensive use of active-duty troops and National Guard units for immigration enforcement, including deployments to the US-Mexico border and cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis.
- Who
- Trump administration, Democratic lawmakers, Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- What
- Diversion of $2 billion from military funds to support immigration enforcement operations
- When
- 2025
- Where
- United States, US-Mexico border, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Memphis, Fort Bliss, Guantánamo Bay
- Why
- To support immigration enforcement operations, weakening military readiness and straining servicemembers
- Amount Diverted
- $2 billion in 2025
- Report Title
- Draining Defense: Trump's Immigration Stunts Cost Billions at the Expense of Military Readiness, Morale, and National Security
- Core National Security Role
- Military readiness, training, housing repairs, infrastructure upgrades
- Border Deployment Costs
- $1.3 billion
- Domestic Deployment Costs
- $258 million
- Los Angeles ICE Support Costs
- $172 million
- Detention Activities Costs
- $420 million
- Fort Bliss Detention Costs
- $363 million
- Guantánamo Bay Detention Costs
- $40 million in first month
- Deportation Flights Costs
- $33.1 million as of September 2025
- JAG Officers Reassignment Costs
- $55 million
- C-17 Flight Cost
- $28,500 per hour
- ICE Flight Cost
- $8,500 per hour
- India Deportation Flight Cost
- $3 million each
