WASHINGTON, DC — March 14, 2025 — Congress passed a full-year continuing resolution (CR) today to fund the federal government through September 30, 2025, approving significant spending increases for immigration enforcement while neglecting systemic backlogs in the legal immigration system.
The bill allocates an additional $430 million to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detention beds, transportation, and deportations, along with $136 million for the Department of Justice to handle anticipated surges in immigration-related prosecutions. Unlike standard stopgap measures, this CR expands funding for the Trump administration’s mass deportation initiatives rather than maintaining prior spending levels.
Backlogs Worsen as Enforcement Takes Priority
Advocates argue that pouring resources into detention and deportations fails to address the root causes of dysfunction in the immigration system. Millions of cases remain stuck in a years-long backlog, leaving asylum-seekers and long-term residents in legal limbo. Despite calls for Congress to streamline legal pathways and invest in court processing, the CR further tilts funding toward enforcement—deepening delays, straining due process, and destabilizing families with deep ties to U.S. communities.
A Decades-Long Funding Imbalance
Data reveals a stark disparity in immigration spending: From 2003 to 2024, for every $45 allocated to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE, just $1 went to the immigration court system. Critics say this lopsided approach undermines fairness while failing to deter migration.
Advocates: “A Misguided Choice”
In a scathing statement, Jeremy Robbins, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, condemned the bill:
“Instead of fixing the broken immigration system, this resolution doubles down on detention and deportation—diverting funds from critical services like medical research, rural broadband, and public schools. It prioritizes separating families and targeting long-term residents who pose no threat, all while ignoring the courts and benefits systems that could actually deliver orderly, humane solutions.”
Robbins emphasized that the policies “perpetuate fear, hurt the economy, and ignore real fixes”—urging lawmakers to invest in community stability rather than enforcement alone.
What’s Next?
With the CR now law, advocates warn that backlogs will grow, legal pathways will remain clogged, and families will face heightened instability. The debate highlights a broader divide: whether to address immigration through punitive measures or systemic reforms.
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