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ICE Expands Weaponry and Surveillance Spending Amid Budget Surge

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The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) is significantly increasing its expenditure on weaponry and surveillance technology, according to procurement records reviewed by AFP. The agency, which oversees immigration enforcement under the administration of former President Donald Trump, has allocated tens of millions of dollars for firearms, ammunition, body armor, and advanced surveillance tools. This surge in spending marks a stark contrast to budgets during both the Biden administration and the previous Trump administration.

ICE has been tasked with deporting a record number of unauthorized migrants from the United States. Data reveals that since Trump took office on January 20, 2025, ICE has placed over $70 million in purchase orders for small arms and related equipment. In the same timeframe, from January 20 to October 20, 2024, the agency had only spent $9.7 million on similar items. Notably, in September 2025 alone, ICE ordered $10 million worth of firearms and magazines from Quantico Tactical Incorporated and an additional $9 million on long guns and accessories from Geissele Automatics. The agency also acquired more than $10 million in body armor, holsters, and related equipment during the same month.

Surveillance Spending Intensifies

The surge in weaponry is paralleled by a substantial investment in surveillance technology. In September 2025, ICE spent $3.75 million on services from Clearview AI, a company specializing in facial recognition software. In the nine months since the commencement of the second Trump administration, ICE has also procured products from Magnet Forensics and Cellebrite, companies that provide data extraction software for mobile devices. Furthermore, the agency entered into a $30 million contract with Palantir to create an “Immigration OS,” designed as a comprehensive platform for targeting unauthorized migrants and identifying those voluntarily returning to their home countries.

Adding to the controversy, ICE reactivated a $2 million contract with Paragon, an Israeli spyware provider, which had previously been scrutinized by the Biden administration due to concerns over national security risks. The scrutiny followed a 2023 executive order that restricted the purchase of such spyware.

ICE is also actively seeking proposals for expanding its social media surveillance capabilities. A recent request for proposals sought contractors to establish a social media monitoring center staffed by nearly 30 analysts to provide continuous oversight and gather real-time information from online platforms. Rights advocates have expressed significant concerns regarding such surveillance efforts, warning that they may infringe on free expression rights. Cooper Quintin, a Senior Staff Technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, remarked, “If people know that ICE is on social media… looking for anybody who demonstrates any sort of allegiance to their [home] country, that’s going to chill people’s willingness to say anything publicly.”

Budget Increases and Operational Impact

The rapid increase in ICE’s spending is primarily attributed to a substantial budget boost approved by Congress. The recent Republican budget, passed in July 2023, allocated $75 billion to ICE over four years, averaging $18.8 billion annually. This amount is nearly double the agency’s operating budget of $9.6 billion for the previous fiscal year. While many government departments are facing operational constraints due to the ongoing government shutdown, ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, have largely remained unaffected. However, a spokesperson confirmed that the Office of Detention Oversight, responsible for monitoring detention facility standards, has been shut down.

The expansive funding and aggressive procurement strategies have led to criticism from various quarters, with some asserting that ICE is evolving into a paramilitary force equipped to enforce stringent immigration policies. As the agency continues to ramp up its capabilities, the implications of its actions and spending will likely remain a topic of intense debate in the coming months.

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