As the 2026 midterm elections approach, US President Donald Trump is gearing up for a far more aggressive immigration crackdown, backed by billions of dollars in new funding. The expanded enforcement push comes amid declining public approval and rising backlash against his immigration policies.
This year, Trump’s administration deployed immigration agents to major US cities and carried out high-profile raids that often led to clashes with local communities. Officials now say those efforts are set to intensify significantly next year.
More agents, detention centres and massive funding boost
According to a Reuters report, the Trump administration plans to hire thousands of additional immigration agents in 2026, open new detention centres and increase the number of arrests of undocumented immigrants held in local jails.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US Border Patrol are expected to receive $170 billion in additional funding through September 2029, a dramatic increase over their current combined annual budgets of around $19 billion. The funding is part of a major spending package passed by Congress in July.
Administration expects deportation numbers to surge
Alongside expanded enforcement, the administration has stripped thousands of Haitian, Venezuelan and Afghan immigrants of temporary legal protections, sharply increasing the number of people eligible for deportation.
While Trump had promised to deport one million immigrants per year, the administration has so far removed about 622,000 people since he returned to office in January.
White House border czar Tom Homan said the administration has already delivered a “historic deportation operation” and predicted a sharp rise in arrests next year as new officers are hired and detention capacity expands.
“I think you’re going to see the numbers explode greatly next year,” Homan told Reuters, adding that workplace enforcement actions would “absolutely” increase.
Employers set to face greater scrutiny
Workplace raids are expected to intensify, potentially impacting the US economy. Analysts warn that replacing arrested workers could drive up labour costs and complicate Trump’s efforts to control inflation.
Earlier this year, some industries were briefly exempted from enforcement actions, but the administration quickly reversed that decision.
Immigration policy experts have increasingly argued that employers should be held accountable. “Eventually you’re going to have to go after these employers,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy director at the Centre for Immigration Studies.
Approval ratings slide amid backlash
As enforcement expands, Trump’s public approval on immigration has declined. Polls show his approval rating on the issue fell from 50% in March to 41% by mid-December, following crackdowns in several major cities.
Political analysts suggest public perception is shifting. “People are beginning to see this not as an immigration question anymore, but as a violation of rights, a violation of due process and the militarisation of neighbourhoods,” said Mike Madrid, a moderate Republican strategist.
With midterm elections looming, Trump’s immigration strategy appears set to become one of the most contentious political battlegrounds of 2026.