GOP Megabill Gives ICE $30 Billion With Large Bonuses for Agents
Plus, a 1% tax on migrant remittances.
WASHINGTON — After much deliberation, and with the Senate Parliamentarian yet to finish her work, Senate Republicans have motioned to proceed with the Big Beautiful Bill reconciliation bill, passing with a 49 to 51 vote (with Republican Senators Rand Paul and Thom Tillis voting alongside Democrats). Much of the funding remains the same in relation to immigration, with a few quirky exceptions, which I’ll outline below. The measure proposes over $175 billion in direct immigration-related funding for fiscal year 2025, reflecting a historic expansion of immigration enforcement operations under a Republican-controlled Congress and the Trump administration.
At the heart of the bill is $29.85 billion in funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), designated to remain available through 2029. The funds cover large-scale personnel expansion, new deportation infrastructure, and digital enforcement technology.
According to the legislative text, ICE is appropriated “$29,850,000,000...to remain available until September 30, 2029” (p. 904).
But ICE is just one piece of the package. When combined with new appropriations for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), immigration courts, detention expansion, and state-level border assistance, the bill’s immigration enforcement budget totals approximately $175.155 billion.
Summary of Immigration-Related Funding (FY2025)
According to the legislative text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the following immigration-related funding appear across multiple sections of the bill:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is appropriated $29.85 billion “to remain available until September 30, 2029,” for hiring 8,500 new enforcement officers and expanding deportation operations. The funding appears on page 826 of the PDF.
An additional $45 billion is set aside for expanding ICE detention capacity, including “single adult and family residential center beds,” as outlined on page 827.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) receives $46.55 billion for physical border infrastructure, including “constructing tactical infrastructure and physical barriers,” found on page 824.
CBP is granted another $12.007 billion to hire new Border Patrol agents, provide signing and relocation bonuses, purchase vehicles, and upgrade facilities. This funding is detailed on page 825.
The bill dedicates $6.168 billion to modern surveillance, biometric, and screening technologies at the border, including “autonomous surveillance towers” and “artificial intelligence for threat detection.” This provision appears on page 828.
A newly established State Border Security Reinforcement Fund is appropriated $10 billion to reimburse states for building their own wall systems, transporting migrants, and operating checkpoints. This is outlined on page 832.
Separately, Section 70605 of the bill imposes a 1% federal excise tax on cash-based international remittance transfers, which applies to any funds sent outside the U.S. via money orders, cash, or cashier’s checks. This section spans pages 613 to 615. Originally, it was 30%, then 5%, then 3%, and now 1%.
Massive ICE Buildout and Bonuses
ICE alone would be authorized to hire “not fewer than 8,500 additional officers and agents” plus over 2,000 attorneys and support staff (p. 905). To support recruitment and retention:
Signing bonuses of up to $20,000 are offered to new ICE hires who commit to five years of service (p. 906).
Retention bonuses of up to $15,000 annually are available in “high-attrition field offices.”
ICE agents may now qualify for law enforcement availability pay (LEAP) and 10% premium overtime.
Over $5.2 billion is allocated for infrastructure modernization, including $1.25 billion for new detention facilities and $2.5 billion for artificial intelligence, biometric data systems, and digital case tracking (pp. 907–908).
Remittance Transfers Now Taxed at 1%
For the first time, the bill introduces a 1% excise tax on cross-border remittances, applying to any international money transfer funded by “cash, money order, cashier’s check, or other physical instrument” (p. 613). The tax does NOT apply to debit or credit card transactions or ACH bank transfers.
Transfer providers must collect and remit the tax to the IRS. If they fail to do so, they are held secondarily liable. The tax is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026 (p. 615).
With over $150 billion in annual remittances flowing from the U.S. to countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Philippines, the 1% tax could yield more than $1.5 billion annually—falling heavily on lower-income, cash-reliant immigrant families.
What Comes Next
Much is being made of the bill—and for immigrants, it’s largely grim. But the legislation is still in flux. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has yet to finish her review, and as Sunday approaches, amendments and negotiations could strip out key provisions.
Debate is expected to begin around 2 or 3 PM Sunday and run for about 12 hours, with a final vote likely around 2 or 3 AM Monday. Given the rapid changes, what’s written now may not reflect what’s passed by the time you wake up on Monday. And the House still hasn’t voted on the (possibly passed Senate) revised version, which now differs sharply from the bill it originally sent to the Senate.
Stay tuned to @PabloReports on X for updated news on the bill, as we will both be present for this vote-a-rama. Likewise, follow @NicolaeButler for updates to amendments on the bill and texts differences.
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