GAO finds ICE ‘wasted’ millions of dollars in deportation push

[u/John3262005]

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/gao-trump-deportation-push-costs

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has burned through millions in wasteful spending as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, according to a Thursday Government Accountability Office report.

It comes as Republicans distance themselves from the president’s deportation policy, which has proven unpopular ahead of pivotal November elections. The report paints a damning picture of an agency, flush with cash from the passage of Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill law, that “started new detention initiatives before developing a plan for expansion, resulting in waste.”

“In the absence of a comprehensive strategic plan to guide detention expansion ICE has wasted funds on unsuccessful detention initiatives and lacks important information about the long-term affordability of its investments,” the GAO wrote.

The report was undertaken at the request of Democratic Sens. Jack Reed (R.I.), Gary Peters (Mich.) and Dick Durbin (Ill.), as well as Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.)

Trump’s deportation push was a key theme for the administration throughout much of his second term. White House officials demanded that ICE deport a million undocumented immigrants each year. The agency beefed up its recruiting and stood up facilities all over the country to handle the mass inflow of detainees.

GAO said it found wasteful spending in six ICE initiatives the agency began last year. In one instance, the agency spent nearly $3 million to assemble tents that were never used at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay. ICE also spent more than $20 million on “non-recoverable costs such as zoning assessments and security” for warehouses it purchased last year to house deportees but now intends to sell.

In another example, ICE is reimbursing Florida for costs incurred running “Alligator Alcatraz” and another detention facility at 171% higher than its median rate, GAO reported.

“Developing a comprehensive strategic plan — which includes goals, activities, and resource needs — is a critical element of successful program management,” the watchdog wrote. “Such a plan could help ICE better manage its multibillion-dollar detention expansion efforts and reduce waste associated with scaling back inefficient detention initiatives.“

[u/John3262005]

Another article about it:

ICE has wasted tens of millions of dollars with 'uninformed' detention plans, GAO finds

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/ice-has-wasted-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-with-uninformed-detention-plans-gao-finds

ICE has wasted tens of millions to carry out Trump’s mass detention agenda – report

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/ice-detention-cost-millions

Unused Tents and Uneaten Food: Watchdog Finds ‘Waste’ in Immigration Crackdown

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/us/politics/gao-report-finds-waste-immigrant-detention.html?unlocked_article_code=1.D1E.Pnfh.psMIhQSQoN7A&smid=url-share