US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may release thousands of
migrants en masse and significantly slash its holding spaces for detainees
as the agency battles a $700 million budget shortfall, according to a new
report.
ICE officials have discussed cutting costs through the release of migrants
in US custody as well as cutting the number of detention beds from 38,000
to 22,000, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The outlet spoke to four officials from the agency and the Department of
Homeland Security on the condition of anonymity.
The proposal comes after the Senate last week voted down a national
security package that included more than $7 billion in supplemental
funding for ICE.
The Senate bill failed under heavy pressure from Republican border hawks,
who took issue with its policies allowing for expedited processing of
asylum claims, taxpayer-funded legal counsel for migrants and handouts to
non-governmental groups that help shelter and settle them in the US.
https://nypost.com/2024/02/14/us-news/ice-may-release-thousands-of-
immigrants-to-close-700m-budget-shortfall-report/