US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has spent more than $70 million on new weapons in the first nine months of President Donald Trump’s second term, a 700 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to federal procurement data.
From 20 January to 18 October, ICE spent $71,515,762 on small arms, ordnance and accessories, up from $9,715,843 in the equivalent period under Joe Biden. The figure also far exceeds the average annual spend of $8.4 million during Trump’s first term.
Purchases include armour, explosives, pistols, rifles, and components such as guided missile warheads and explosive components, according to Popular Information. However, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the latter, calling the spending a non-story and noting that ICE needs firearms for its law enforcement officers, especially as it onboards 11,000 new agents.
The agency has received more than 175,000 applications and issued over 18,000 tentative job offers. Meanwhile, ICE holds nearly 60,000 people in detention. Critics have raised concerns over escalating violence, with lawsuits alleging indiscriminate use of near-lethal weapons such as tear gas and rubber bullets.
Trump’s administration has faced protests over ICE tactics, including in Los Angeles where the National Guard was activated. Revelations that at least 20 US citizen children have been arrested, including two with cancer, have added to the controversy.
