Washington: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the key agency tasked with executing President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda, is grappling with a budget shortfall, and a potential solution involves redirecting funds from other agencies.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Trump administration is exploring the possibility of reallocating funds from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Coast Guard to address ICE's financial deficit. This consideration comes in light of ICE's existing $230 million budget shortfall, which was present even before Trump resumed office on January 20 for a second non-consecutive term. ICE has been mandated to continue making 1,200 to 1,500 arrests daily, a significant increase from its previous average of 282 arrests per day.

A former and a current Department of Homeland Security official shared insights with the news outlet, highlighting that under the Biden administration, the cost for ICE to deport an individual was approximately $10,500. This figure encompasses the entire process, from arrest and detention to transportation back to the person's home country.

The reallocation of funds could significantly impact the operational budgets of the TSA, Coast Guard, and CISA, or alternative sources might need to be identified to support the increased costs associated with the surge in deportations.