Fact Check: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is approximately $1 billion over budget with three months left in the fiscal year as of October 2023.

Fact Check: "Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is approximately $1 billion over budget with three months left in the fiscal year as of October 2023."

What We Know

As of October 2023, the budget for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a topic of scrutiny. The fiscal year 2023 budget for ICE was set at approximately $8.5 billion, as outlined in their budget overview documents (source-1). Reports indicate that ICE has faced challenges in budget execution, with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) noting that from fiscal years 2014 through 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had to notify Congress about moving funds within existing appropriations to meet ICE's operational needs (source-2).

The GAO has also highlighted that ICE's budget projections and execution require improvement, suggesting that the agency has historically struggled to manage its budget effectively (source-2). However, specific figures indicating that ICE is $1 billion over budget have not been substantiated by the available documentation.

Analysis

The claim that ICE is approximately $1 billion over budget lacks direct evidence from credible sources. While the GAO's report indicates that ICE has had to reallocate funds to meet its mission, it does not explicitly confirm that the agency is currently over budget by that amount. The budgetary challenges faced by ICE are acknowledged in various reports, but the specific figure of $1 billion is not corroborated by the data provided in the sources.

Moreover, the budget for fiscal year 2024 is projected at $8.7 billion, which represents a slight increase from the previous year (source-5). This suggests that while there may be ongoing budgetary issues, the situation is fluid and subject to change based on appropriations and operational needs.

The reliability of the sources is generally high, as they come from official government documents and reports. However, the interpretation of budgetary figures can vary, and without clear, updated financial statements from ICE or the DHS, it is difficult to confirm the specific claim of being $1 billion over budget.

Conclusion

Needs Research. The claim that ICE is approximately $1 billion over budget lacks sufficient evidence and clear documentation to support it. While there are indications of budgetary challenges within ICE, the specific figure mentioned in the claim is not verified by the available sources. Further investigation into ICE's financial reports and budgetary allocations would be necessary to ascertain the accuracy of this claim.

Sources

1. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Budget Overview
2. PDF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - U.S. Government Accountability Office (U.S. GAO)
3. Archived: ICE releases fiscal year 2023 annual report
4. ICE's FY 2023 Annual Report
5. PDF U.S IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT Budget Overview
6. FACT SHEET: The President's Budget Secures Our Border
7. Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2025
8. FY 2023 budget in Brief FINAL with Cover