DHS Bill Seeks $20M for Body Cams, Other ICE Guardrails

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (CAA-26) includes $20 million for the purchase, deployment, and operation of body-worn cameras for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers, adding new oversight requirements as immigration enforcement expands nationwide.

The funding, included in the Department of Homeland Security section of the omnibus, is designated for officers engaged in enforcement activities and requires DHS to submit a detailed spending plan to Congress within 30 days of enactment.

The measure is part of a broader package of guardrails aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for ICE as lawmakers pair increased enforcement resources with tighter reporting and oversight requirements.

The news comes in the same month a Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, was fatally shot during an ICE enforcement operation after the Department of Homeland Security said her vehicle moved toward ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who then fired in self-defense — an account disputed by local officials and witnesses.

Video taken by Ross before the fatal shooting shows Good's widow speaking to agents during the encounter and telling her wife to "drive, baby, drive" to flee potential ICE arrest for obstruction.

The $20 million is just a small piece of the $10 billion allocated for ICE operations, while another $18.3 billion is ticketed for CBP border security.

A breakdown of the $10 billion for ICE:

– $3.8 billion for custody operations to bolster the Trump administration's efforts to detain and deport all criminal and removable aliens.

– $743.9 million for the transportation and removal of every alien who no longer has a legal basis to remain in the U.S.

– $165 million for fugitive operations to sustain mobile criminal alien and special response teams tasked with executing high-stakes interior enforcement actions.

– $2.6 billion for Homeland Security Investigations, including the following increases above the fiscal year 2025 enacted level:

- $25 million to support security efforts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America250 events;

- $13 million for counter-fentanyl initiatives, including for additional Border Enforcement Security Task Force teams and technologies to enhance investigative capacity;

- $10.5 million for investigations related to child exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking criminal activity.

The CAA-26 was negotiated and delivered on a bipartisan, bicameral basis for Department of War; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

The House GOP had planned by design to pass 12 separate appropriations bills, but Congress has still worked them up on packages, this one being the last of them.

"With 250 years behind us, we've forged the greatest volunteer military in the world, transformed transportation through the Interstate Highway System, supported breakthroughs like unlocking the genetic code, and transformed security preparedness across domains," House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., wrote in a statement.

"These bills recognize that legacy — and the obligation to carry it forward. It reflects the core tenets of American strength: combat-ready forces, secure communities, effective education and health systems, and modern transportation."

"At every level, it applies innovation and discipline to deliver results without waste," added Cole.

It marks the advancement of full-year fiscal year 2026 funding across all 12 bills as the Jan. 30 deadline looms for the expiring continuing resolution.

"At a time when many believed completing the FY26 process was out of reach, we've shown that challenges are opportunities," Cole's statement concluded.

"It's time to get it across the finish line."