Trump & GOP Stack the Deck Against Struggling Americans to Build a War and Mass Deportation Machine

March 4, 2025 - Download PDF Version

The Republican-controlled House and Senate have both passed FY 2025 budget resolutions, the first step in the budget reconciliation process. Both budgets would increase spending for the Pentagon, mass deportations, and war profiteers by $300-$325 billion. The House resolution also includes up to $2 trillion in cuts to health insurance, food aid and other services for struggling families, while providing $4.5 trillion in tax giveaways for corporations and the ultra-wealthy.

$100-$150 Billion Topline Increase for the Pentagon 

  • The House GOP budget resolution, which Trump endorsed, adds $100 billion to the Pentagon’s near trillion-dollar annual budget over the next decade, though the new spending could be concentrated in fewer years. The Senate GOP resolution green-lighted a minimum $150 billion increase for the Pentagon to be spent over four years. Both increases come in the context of executive orders and actions setting a dangerous new precedent allowing domestic use of the military to facilitate mass deportations and detentions.

$175-$200 Billion Topline Increase for Mass Deportation and Detention 

  • The House resolution contains a $200 billion increase for mass deportations, detentions and border militarization over the next decade, though the spending could be concentrated in fewer years. The Senate resolution contains at least $175 billion more over four years.

The GOP’s extreme increases in militarized spending - at the expense of working people and the planet - will make us all less secure. There are no militarized solutions to the greatest challenges plaguing American communities and workers. In fact, data show that high levels of military spending actually worsens economic inequality (which erodes democracy), exacerbates racialized police violence, fuels the climate crisis (increasing the likelihood of pandemics), and crowds out funding for education and public programs that effectively prevent crime and improve health and education outcomes. House and Senate Republicans must still work out their differences, and activists can still work to change these priorities.

Key takeaways:

Both House and Senate budget resolutions contain historic spending increases for war, weapons, and a disastrous mass deportation policy.

  • The U.S. already spends more than a trillion dollars on the war machine and domestic militarization each year. The Pentagon and war machine budget is already more than the next eight countries combined, despite many years of the Pentagon failing to account for trillions of dollars in assets.  
  • Congress authorized a record $29 billion for immigration enforcement and border militarization in FY 2024. The MAGA budgets are set to more than double this amount, doubling down on a cruel and ineffective policy that breaks apart immigrant families and communities.
  • There are multiple proposals for sensible Pentagon budget cuts that would make our world and country safer and free up critical resources for other needs. Rather than consider those cuts, the Trump administration plans to shift funding from Pentagon programs, including those aimed at DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and the Pentagon's climate costs, towards those “aligned with President Trump's priorities.”

Militarized budget increases are directly tied to cuts for critical human needs.  

  • To offset these budget increases and $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, the House resolution requires at least  $1.5-2 trillion in spending cuts to critical public services. 
  • At-risk programs include Medicaid, which provides health insurance for 72 million low-income adults and children, food assistance programs including SNAP (food stamps) which serves 40 million people, as well as school lunch programs, student loan forgiveness, and higher education access.  
  • Federal funding is already heavily skewed towards militarization. For example, in FY2023 the average U.S. taxpayer paid $516 towards K-12 education vs. $3,719 for the Pentagon war machine, including $1,748 for Pentagon contractors. (Learn more about what your tax dollars pay for here.)

Alternative investments that build a more secure and equitable society are necessary and possible.

  • There are alternate proposals for immigration approaches that recognize the dignity and worth of all people and the contributions of all immigrants to our society.
  • See our previous analysis on how policymakers could support affordable housing, substance use disorder treatment, healthcare for children, and early childcare - all for the cost of the Senate’s massive budget increase for war, weapons, and mass deportation.
  • Instead of a $300 billion increase for militarization, policymakers could:

  • Provide two years of Medicaid/CHIP health insurance for the 21 million adults and 4 million children who were uninsured in 2023 (cost: $233 billion), OR

  • Eliminate all medical debt, which currently burdens 20 million Americans, nearly 1 in 12 adults across the country (cost: $220 billion), OR

  • Build nation-wide high-speed rail for faster, cleaner, and safer transportation to address the climate crisis and provide better access to jobs (cost: $205 billion)Provide two years of Medicaid/CHIP health insurance for the 21 million adults and 4 million children who were uninsured in 2023 (cost: $233 billion), OR

Learn more