The Department of Homeland Security committed to spending more than $144 million on guns, ammunition and other weapons during the first year of the Trump administration in a “drastic increase” in resources,according to a reportreleased Thursday by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s spending commitment on weapons increased fourfold in 2025 from the previous year, while Customs and Border Protection’s contracts on weapons doubled when compared with 2024, according to the report, which looked atpublicly available government contracting data.
“Just in 2025, ICE and CBP have together placed orders to purchase thousands of new high-powered lethal weapons at taxpayer expense,” the report said.
The administration hasfaced heavy criticismover its use of force during immigration enforcement operations in Democratic-led cities. Images and videos flooded social media ofimmigration law enforcement’s violent encounters with protesters, including shooting rubber bullets, spraying chemical agents at close range and smashing car windows.
Pushback against DHS’ tacticscame to a head after immigration agents fatally shottwo U.S. citizens,Renee GoodandAlex Pretti, in Minneapolis in January. Their deaths sparked calls for investigation from both Democrats and Republicans. Border czar Tom Homan announced anend to DHS’ immigration operation in Minnesotain the weeks following Pretti’s death, withhundreds of agents leaving.
“Americans across the country have been witnessing the results of an unchecked immigration enforcement policy that has led to tragic and fatal consequences,” Schiff said in a statement to NBC News. “This report exposes how DHS has set in motion a massive surge in spending to add even more dangerous weapons to ICE and CBP’s arsenal.”
“This misuse of taxpayer dollars to maximally arm federal immigration agents, including those with questionable vetting and insufficient training, must end,” he said.
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
According to the report, the DHS spending included contracts worth “tens of millions of dollars” to buy lethal weapons that included assault-style rifles, pistols and related accessories such as optical sights for firearms and body armor. It is unclear how the funds will be divided exactly in arming individual agents.
Included in the spending commitment was a delivery order purchase in September 2025 for $9.1 million from the company Geissele Automatics for “precision long guns and accessories to support armed agents and ICE-Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs,” according to the report.
Source: Drudge Report
