U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to intensify immigration enforcement in 2026, even as public criticism and political risks increase ahead of the midterm elections. The administration is planning broader workplace raids and expanded deportation efforts, backed by a major funding boost approved by Congress earlier this year.
Under the new spending package, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Border Patrol are set to receive about $170 billion in additional funding through 2029. The money will be used to hire thousands of new agents, expand detention facilities, increase arrests in local jails, and rely more heavily on private contractors to track people living in the country without legal status. Officials say enforcement operations will increasingly include farms, factories, restaurants, and other job sites that were previously avoided because of their economic importance.
The expanded crackdown is already generating political consequences. In cities with large immigrant populations, including Miami, voter unease has grown over aggressive tactics such as masked agents, raids in residential areas, and arrests that have swept up U.S. citizens and legal residents. Trump’s approval rating on immigration, once his strongest policy area, has dropped notably in recent months as concerns about civil rights and due process gain traction.
Administration officials argue the tougher approach is delivering results. White House border czar Tom Homan said deportations and arrests will rise sharply next year as new resources come online, insisting the strategy is necessary to curb illegal immigration and remove criminals. So far, more than 600,000 people have been deported since Trump returned to office, though the president’s stated goal of deporting one million people per year remains out of reach.
Critics, however, point to government data showing a growing share of detainees have no criminal records beyond immigration violations. Business leaders are also watching closely, as large-scale workplace raids could disrupt labor-intensive industries and drive up costs, potentially undermining Trump’s broader economic agenda. As enforcement expands, analysts say the clash between immigration policy, economic impact, and voter sentiment is likely to become a central issue in the 2026 political landscape.
