First on Fox: House Republicans are making $68.8 billion for President Donald Trump’s border wall and hiring more agents in talks for a massive bill to push the commander-in-chief’s agenda.
While Trump has focused most of his time on physical barriers between the United States and Mexico, legislation currently under consideration is aiming to modernize the task at $46.5 billion to achieve an integrated “border barrier system.” It will combine physical fences with updated monitoring tools, roads and lighting.
The bill also aims to pay $5 billion for new facilities and personnel the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeks since Trump returned to the White House.
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House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green Will Pass Part of Trump’s Budget Agenda Next Week (Getty Image)
It will invest specifically $4.1 billion to fund new frontline personnel to patrol the border, while also incentivizing new and current CBP employees to have retention bonuses, among other measures – dedicated to $2 billion.
It will also invest $813 million to modernize CBP’s existing fleet of vehicles, with current technology becoming prey for mechanical problems and high maintenance costs.
The bill also seeks $2.7 billion to fund a range of modern technologies that agents can use to disrupt illegal immigrants at the border, including ground sensors, drones, radar and remote surveillance technology, among other projects.
For those who cross illegally, it will provide $673 million in upgrades to the current U.S. biometric system upgrade, designed to track these illegal immigrants.
More than $1 billion in funding for new and updated air and offshore platforms are also included.
The legislation also allowed millions of dollars of threat assessment and logistical plans for upcoming international events in the U.S. – $1 billion for the 2028 Summer Olympics, and $625 million for the upcoming World Cup Football Championship.
Other funding projects include $1 million in memory of victims of illegal immigration crimes in the United States, $500 million to specifically combat cartel drug smuggling at the border.
The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, is pushing Congress to obtain more border funding (Ken Cedeno/upi/Bloomberg via Getty Image)
Border security is the core pillar of Congress’ Republican priorities in budget reconciliation. The DHS has jurisdiction over a large number of U.S.-Mexico border operations, and the committee has been directed to achieve these goals with a new spending of up to $90 billion.
Trump administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and immigrant Tsar Tom Homan, stressed the need for more money to implement the president’s agenda.
The Department of Homeland Security sent a memo to House and Senate Republicans earlier this month warning that failure to pass legislation “will eliminate all the great success of the Trump administration.”
Democratic Senator Van Hollen meets with Abrego Garcia
In March 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents from the Holden department arrested transiters who illegally transited. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Holden Department)
The budget settlement lowered the Senate’s pass threshold from 60 votes to 51 votes, which are related to federal spending, taxes and Treasury bonds. Therefore, it allows parties controlling the House, Senate and White House to pass comprehensive reforms while completely getting rid of each other’s parties, in this case, in the Democrats.
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Republicans aim to leverage the broad scope of reconciliation through Trump’s agenda.
In addition to border security, new commitments to fossil fuel energy, defense and Trump’s tax policies – both expanding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) and fulfilling new commitments to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime pay and retirement Social Security.
