The House Appropriations Committee has released the Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Bill. The bill is set for consideration in a subcommittee meeting scheduled for June 9th at 6:00 p.m., which will be live-streamed on the Committee’s website.
Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei remarked on the changes over the past year, highlighting a realignment with the Department of Homeland Security's core mission. "My, what a difference 12 months can make," he said. He emphasized that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are actively pursuing their missions, while outdated equipment across the Department is being modernized.
Chairman Tom Cole stated, "Our purpose here is clear: securing the homeland and keeping Americans safe." He noted that every measure in the bill aims to defend against threats by investing in personnel, training, and technology to reinforce protection layers.
The Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Bill allocates $66.36 billion in total discretionary funding. This includes $3.29 billion for defense, which is slightly below last year's level, and $63.08 billion for non-defense purposes, marking an increase from Fiscal Year 2025.
Key aspects of the bill include prioritizing border security, enhancing resources to combat fentanyl spread, partnering with law enforcement for immigration enforcement, and strengthening disaster preparedness efforts. The bill also supports certain Trump Administration policies by prohibiting funding for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion initiatives, critical race theory programs, gender-affirming care for ICE detainees, and other specified activities.
The bill provides significant funding to bolster national security and border protections with allocations for Border Patrol agents, border security technology, custody operations for ICE detention beds, transportation operations for removable aliens, and modernization of Coast Guard assets.
Additionally, measures have been taken to safeguard taxpayer dollars by ending programs seen as incentivizing illegal migration and eliminating funding for certain facilities used to process aliens.
A summary of the bill along with its text is available online.
