Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Raise Alarm Over Trump Administration Siphoning At Least $2 Billion from Military Budget for Immigration Enforcement

Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate and House colleagues to release a new report detailing the Trump administration’s diversion of funds and resources from the Department of Defense to the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement, and its impact on readiness and morale of U.S. troops.
“The investigation found that the Department of Defense (DoD) has obligated over $2 billion in support of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and immigration enforcement in 2025, diverting it from the intended use – our national security and military servicemembers,”the lawmakers wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.“This is a baffling waste of military resources considering the appropriation of $170 billion to DHS to fund immigration enforcement earlier this year. We are particularly concerned that DHS may not be reimbursing DoD for these funds. Allowing DHS to continue to pick DoD’s pockets puts our military readiness at risk.“
Under the Trump administration, the U.S. military has become heavily involved in immigration enforcement. The report is the first detailed review of the Pentagon’s spending on immigration, and found that DoD has committed at least $2 billion to support immigration enforcement through mobilizing and deploying troops to U.S. cities and the Southern border, deporting and transporting immigrants on military aircrafts, detaining individuals on U.S. military installations and more.
Despite an unprecedented $170 billion budget allocated to DHS, it’s unclear how much DoD has received in reimbursement for any of its spending on immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, the military is funding these efforts with money allocated forother DoD projectsincluding updates to barracks, maintenance hangers, and military construction projects in the Pacific. Concerningly, the Pentagon has requested an additional $5 billion for further immigration support in its budget request for 2026.
“Diverting the military from its existing missions and thrusting it into immigration enforcement does not make Americans safer. This multi-billion-dollar political stunt is an overt waste of taxpayer resources and undermines national security, military readiness, and resources for our servicemembers,”the lawmakers continued.
The lawmakers’ report found that, in 2025, the Pentagon has committed:
The report raised concerns that, in addition to the cost of the DoD immigration efforts, it has resulted in“servicemembers…being pulled from their homes, families, and civilian jobs for indefinite periods of time to support legally questionable political stunts,”the lawmakers wrote. The deployments also unnecessarily put our servicemembers in harm's way: in November, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, was killed while her West Virginia National Guard unit was deployed to Washington, D.C, and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe was critically injured.
The deployment of troops for immigration enforcement has also weakened the military’s ability to respond to emergencies. For example, the 101st Airborne Division — the U.S. Army’s only air assault division — deployedto the borderinstead of standing ready for national security missions. Additionally, leading into peak fire season, the California National Guardfirefighting unit was“understaffed because roughly half its members (were) deployed to Los Angeles.” These deployments may also require units to miss key training exercises necessary to ensure combat readiness, as the Government Accountability Officefound occurredduring the first Trump administration.
The diversion of DoD funds is having a devastating effect on the military’s ability to improve services for troops and their families. Among the projects impacted by the prioritization of border operations is a $1 billion renovation of military barracks. Secretary Hegseth alsodiverted fundingfrom elementary schools at Fort Knox and a U.S. military installation in Germany, an ambulatory care center and dental clinic to service Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, a jet-training facility in Mississippi, and Marine barracks in Japan.
During the first Trump administration, the DoD stopped deploying troops to the border after determining the deployments were hurting military readiness and morale. The border mission appeared to contribute toalcohol and drug abuseamong service members, and may haveeven contributedto a number of tragic suicides among Texas National Guardsmen. The members raised concerns about similar issues arising again, particularly given the lack of clarity around how long deployments will last.
“The Trump administration’s secrecy leaves many questions unanswered. The administration has failed to provide clarity on basic questions about DoD’s role in supporting DHS,”the lawmakers wrote.
The coalition directed follow-up questions to Secretary Hegseth about the number of troops currently supporting immigration enforcement, how long military units will be supporting DHS, and whether DHS will reimburse the military.
Wyden and Merkley have been continuous advocates for government transparency and accountability. In October, both Oregon senatorscalled on the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to probethe cost of the Trump Administration’s brazen decision to deploy National Guard personnel to U.S. cities.
In November, after the Coast Guard announced the 90-mile relocation of a search-and-rescue helicopter from Newport and the possible installation of a new ICE facility, Wyden and Merkleydemanded answers from DHSon the changes. After receiving no answer, Wydencalled on the Coast Guardto meet ahead of his Lincoln County town hall to explain the helicopter’s departure. In December, Merkley, Wyden and Representative Val Hoyle announced that Admiral Kevin Lunday, Acting Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard,committed to keeping the helicopter in Newport.
The report on the diversion of military resources was led by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Representative John Garamendi, D-Calif. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the report was co-authored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Adam Schiff, D- Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.
The full letter ishere.
The full report ishere.