Fact Check: "ICE is going to have a bigger budget than the military budget of Russia"
What We Know
The claim that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) budget will exceed the military budget of Russia is based on projections from recent legislative proposals. Under the proposed "Big Beautiful Bill," ICE's budget is expected to increase significantly. Reports indicate that ICE's budget could rise to approximately $30 billion annually as part of a broader immigration enforcement agenda, which totals around $150 billion over five years (source-1).
In contrast, Russia's military budget is estimated at 15.5 trillion roubles, which translates to about $174.16 billion according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (source-1). This figure indicates that even if ICE's budget were to reach the projected levels, it would still fall short of Russia's military spending.
Analysis
The assertion that ICE's budget will surpass Russia's military budget lacks context and accuracy. While some sources claim that ICE's funding could be higher than that of several countries, including military budgets of nations like Italy and Israel, the comparison to Russia's military budget is misleading. The $30 billion projected annual budget for ICE does not account for the total military expenditure of Russia, which is significantly higher at $174.16 billion annually (source-1; source-3).
Moreover, the claim's virality seems to stem from a misunderstanding of the projected five-year budget of ICE and the FBI combined, which totals around $180 billion. This figure has been compared to Russia's annual military budget, leading to the erroneous conclusion that ICE's budget would exceed it (source-2).
The reliability of the sources varies. While some reports provide detailed budget breakdowns and context, others may sensationalize the figures without adequate clarification. For instance, the article from Newsweek emphasizes the potential increase in ICE's budget but does not effectively contextualize it against Russia's military spending (source-2).
Conclusion
The claim that "ICE is going to have a bigger budget than the military budget of Russia" is False. The projected annual budget for ICE, even if it reaches the higher estimates, will not surpass the military budget of Russia, which is significantly larger. The confusion arises from comparing a multi-year budget projection with an annual military expenditure, leading to misleading interpretations of the data.
Sources
- Big Beautiful Bill: ICE, FBI budget more than Russia's ...
- ICE budget now bigger than most of the world's militaries
- ICEβs Shocking Budget Surpasses Major World Militaries ...
- ICE As a Global Military Power
- Fact Check: ICE's budget is larger than every country's ...
- Big Beautiful Bill: ICE, FBI budget more than Russia's ...
- Here's how much the ICE budget would increase under ...
- ICE's $175 billion windfall: Trump's mass deportation force ...