ICE Considers Mass Release of Detained Migrants to Address Budget Shortfall

After the failure of a Senate border bill that would have erased a $700 million budget shortfall, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering mass releases of detainees and slashing detention levels from 38,000 beds to 22,000 to save money. The budget crunch and proposal present a challenge for the Biden administration as illegal crossings at the southern border are expected to spike. House Republicans impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his border record, and immigration remains President Biden’s worst-rated issue in polls. The proposed border funding bill included new enforcement powers and resources sought by Republicans, but its failure has led to a reversal of traditional partisan politics on immigration.