The U.S. Congress, with a Republican majority in both houses, returned from recess ready to begin work on a spending package that could fund one of the most controversial initiatives of the Trump administration: mass deportation plans. It is estimated that the total amount could vary between US$ 175 billion and US$ 345 billion, sums that would be allocated to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, with the aim of strengthening the borders and significantly expanding the ability to remove immigrants from the US territory, according to a WOLA report.

The advancement of this legislation is possible thanks to the use of the budget reconciliation mechanism, a rare tool in Congress that allows bills to be passed by a simple majority, without the need for Democratic support. Although the recently approved budget resolution does not yet detail the exact destinations of the resources, the numbers are already impressive: the version approved in the House provides $90 billion for the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over the next decade, while the Senate version provides for $175 billion. That amount, coupled with the $100 billion to $150 billion for defense and the $110 billion set aside for immigration enforcement, indicate the monumental scale of the Republican project.

Concrete work began at the end of April, when different congressional committees began to discuss the specific packages. The Homeland Security Committee will review its share of DHS resources, while the Armed Services Committee will address defense funds, highlighting the military's role in expanding operations on the U.S.-Mexico border. The Judiciary Committee, which meets at the end of the month, will discuss investments in immigration enforcement activities.

Despite the billionaire figures, there are doubts about the real operational capacity to carry out these large-scale deportations. ICE, the government's central agency for migrant removal, currently has fewer than 6,000 agents dedicated to the task, a number clearly insufficient for a massive campaign. To fill this gap, the Trump administration will be able to turn to both military personnel in support roles and state and local police forces, especially in the states of Florida and Texas. This is through so-called 287(g) agreements, a kind of task force model that allows local authorities to collaborate with ICE. It is worth remembering that these agreements had been terminated during the Obama administration due to accusations of racial discrimination but were reactivated under the current administration.

The scenario drawn reveals not only a gigantic effort of financial and institutional mobilization, but also a risky political gamble: by investing so much in deportations and border security, the Trump administration makes a commitment that could provoke strong social, political, and legal reactions. In addition, the revival of controversial models such as 287(g) reopens long-standing debates on discrimination and civil rights, reigniting tensions that, far from solving the migration challenge, could amplify it further.