Trump Administration Plans Major Expansion of Immigration Enforcement in 2026

The Trump administration is preparing to sharply expand immigration enforcement in 2026, with plans for increased workplace raids, detentions and removals backed by a major rise in federal funding ahead of the midterm elections.

The expansion centres on a large increase in resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US Border Patrol. Congress approved an additional $170 billion in funding through 2029, far exceeding their current combined annual budgets of about $19 billion.

The money will be used to recruit thousands of new agents, expand detention capacity and increase the use of private contractors to identify and track undocumented migrants. Officials say the additional resources will support a substantial rise in arrests and deportations.

Federal enforcement operations have already intensified in major cities, where large deployments of agents have led to protests and confrontations with residents. Until now, enforcement activity had largely avoided farms, factories and other workplaces that depend heavily on immigrant labour.

That approach is set to change. Tom Homan, the White House border adviser, said workplace raids would become a central focus in 2026, adding that arrest figures would rise significantly as staffing and detention space increase.

The tougher approach is creating political challenges for the administration. In Miami, where enforcement activity has been particularly visible, voters recently elected their first Democratic mayor in almost 30 years. Polling data also indicates declining public support.

Trump’s approval rating on immigration fell from 50 percent in March to 41 percent by December, amid public concern over enforcement tactics, including the use of masked agents, crowd control measures in residential areas, and cases of citizens being detained in error. Government figures suggest enforcement has widened beyond people with criminal records.

By late November, 41 per cent of the 54,000 individuals held by ICE had no criminal history other than immigration violations. At the start of Trump’s presidency, that figure stood at 6 percent.

There have also been cases involving legal immigrants, including spouses of US citizens detained during green card interviews, individuals removed from naturalisation ceremonies, and thousands of student visas cancelled. The renewed focus on workplaces is expected to affect key sectors of the economy.

Employers in agriculture, construction and service industries warn that raids could worsen labour shortages, increase costs and disrupt operations. Previous informal exemptions for certain industries were withdrawn, leaving companies subject to inspections and penalties even when employing authorised workers.