What $70B Could Do for the American People Instead of More Money for ICE and CBP

As Washington Republicans push a $70 billion funding package for ICE and CBP through Congress, Senator Reverend Warnock is unveiling a new suite of ideas showing how $70 billion could be spent to lower costs and improve lives for Americans In July 2025, Washington Republicans delivered ICE and CBP $75 billion; nearly $20 billion more than the entire budget for the U.S. Marine Corps The $145 billion total for ICE and CBP is more money than most countries spend on their entire governments in a single year Senator Reverend Warnock: “The $70 billion that Senate Republicans will force through this week could fund universal pre-K for all 3-and 4-year-olds in this country for two years. Our government doesn’t suffer from a lack of resources. We suffer from a lack of imagination” Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a suite of new ideas highlighting the different ways $70 billion could be spent to lower costs and improve lives for ordinary Americans. Senator Warnock has been adamantly opposed to any funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under this administration due to President Trump’s use of ICE and CBP as paramilitary forces. In January , ICE agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good during the surge of ICE officers in Minneapolis. “The $70 billion that Senate Republicans will force through this week could fund universal pre-K for all 3-and 4-year-olds in this country for two years,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “It represents the annual cost of groceries for nearly 11 million American households. Our government doesn’t suffer from a lack of resources. We suffer from a lack of imagination.” Below is a “By The Numbers” breakdown of what $70 billion could fund to improve the lives of everyday Americans: Childcare and Education: Instead of giving ICE and CBP another $70 billion dollars, Washington Republicans could use that money to: Fund universal pre-K for all 3-and 4-year-olds in the U.S. for two years. Provide free childcare for 1.3 million children through September 2028. Cover two years of community college tuition for 2.2 million students through September 2029. Double the Pell Grant for undergraduate students entering college. Food: Cover the annual cost of groceries for approximately 10.7 million American households. Provide free school lunch to 22.7 million more children under the National School Lunch Program through Fiscal Year 2029. Provide one year of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to 31 million Americans. Provide over two years’ worth of direct payments to U.S. farm producers. Health Care Cover 2.2 million more Americans under Medicaid through September 2029. Expand the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for at least one year . Cover all U.S. annual expenditures on insulin three times over. Cover approximately 31.5% of Americans’ medical debt. Housing Cover 4.25 million Americans’ rent for a year. Provide $40,000 in downpayment assistance for every first-time homebuyer this year. House 2.4 million more Americans under Section 8 through September 2029. End homelessness for nearly 8 years. ###