On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 212 to 203 to approve the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025.
The $64.8 billion provides $600 million for southern border wall construction and forces Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to build the physical barriers immediately. The budget also funds 22,000 Border Patrol agents, and provides $300 million for border security technology. Officials said the appropriations also include $4.1 billion for custody operations that will fund an average daily ICE detainee population of 50,000, and provides $822 million to transport and remove “removable aliens.”
“The FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill prioritizes investments to secure the border and makes appropriate cuts to policies and programs we know don’t work,” Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei (R-NV) said. “This legislation is a commitment to protecting Americans and the homeland. Through border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, and disaster resilience, we are investing in resources to secure the nation and support our people on the frontline.”
The legislation also addresses national security interests against China by appropriating $335 million for four additional Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters, allocating $60 million for a service life extension to the Coast Guard for a Medium Endurance Cutter in the Indo-Pacific, ad providing $4.2 million for increased maritime engagements with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
The appropriations budget also cuts costs by rejecting funding for electric vehicles and related infrastructure, saving $30 million; rejecting funding for a consolidation of the Department’s headquarter, saving $186.7 million; rejecting funding requested by the Biden Administration to provide shelter and case management for immigrants, saving an estimated $670 million less than requested for those services in 2024.