bmrlabs · report
U.S. Federal Defense and Law Enforcement Spending, FY2014–FY2026
Compiled April 23, 2026. All figures in $ billions of budget authority unless noted. "Enacted" = appropriated by Congress and signed into law. "Request" = President's budget request. "Reconciliation" = mandatory funds provided via the FY2025 reconciliation package (P.L. 119-21, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," OBBBA). Series covers 13 fiscal years, from the post-sequester trough (FY14) through the first trillion-dollar defense budget (FY26).
Top-line answer
Separating "defense" (Budget Function 050 — DoD, NNSA/DOE nuclear weapons, other defense-related) from "federal law enforcement" (the civilian LE components of DOJ, DHS, Treasury, State, USPS, and the legislative branch), the totals across FY2014–FY2026 are approximately:
| Category | FY14 | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 (effective) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Defense (050) | ~$608 B | ~$586 B | ~$615 B | ~$634 B | ~$700 B | ~$716 B | ~$757 B | ~$741 B | ~$778 B | ~$858 B | ~$886 B | ~$892 B | ~$1.01 T |
| Federal Law Enforcement (civilian) | ~$43 B | ~$45 B | ~$46 B | ~$48 B | ~$49 B | ~$51 B | ~$53 B | ~$52 B | ~$55 B | ~$59 B | ~$61 B | ~$90 B¹ | ~$100 B¹ |
| Combined security-state total | ~$651 B | ~$631 B | ~$661 B | ~$682 B | ~$749 B | ~$767 B | ~$810 B | ~$793 B | ~$833 B | ~$917 B | ~$947 B | ~$982 B | ~$1.11 T |
¹ FY2025–FY2026 LE figures include estimated apportionment of OBBBA reconciliation funding to ICE and CBP. Without the reconciliation surge, baseline FY2026 LE appropriations are ~$65 B.
Four inflection points in the 13-year series:
FY14–FY15 — the bottom of the post-surge drawdown. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (Ryan-Murray, P.L. 113-67) gave defense $22 B of cap relief in FY14 and $9 B in FY15. But OCO wound down faster than cap relief rose: from $85 B in the FY14 enacted bill to ~$64 B in FY15. Net effect: National Defense 050 actually fell ~$22 B from FY14 to FY15 — the only year-over-year nominal decline in the 13-year series. FY2015 was the trough.
FY16–FY17 — the last two years of the sequester caps. BBA 2015 raised the defense cap by $25 B in FY16 and $15 B in FY17 relative to the sequester trajectory, but defense (050) stayed below $640 B. OCO funding (~$58.8 B/yr) was the release valve that kept the Pentagon fully funded outside the caps. DOJ LE crept up slowly, with the FBI getting the largest single-year DOJ increase on record in FY17 (+$652 M) after the 2015 San Bernardino attack and the 2016 Russia-interference investigation.
The FY2018 defense jump. BBA 2018 (P.L. 115-123) raised discretionary caps by $80 B for defense in FY18 and $85 B in FY19. National defense climbed from ~$634 B enacted in FY17 to ~$700 B enacted in FY18 — a one-year jump of ~10%, which wouldn't be matched again until the FY26 reconciliation surge.
FY2026 breaks the trillion-dollar ceiling for defense, and immigration enforcement gets the largest single supplemental ever — roughly $170 B spread across FY2025–FY2029 via OBBBA, with CBP and ICE getting the bulk.
The Biden years (FY22–FY24) look relatively tame by comparison — steady ~3–10% annual growth in defense, and the first meaningful inflation-adjusted erosion of DOJ LE budgets since FY17.
1. National Defense (Budget Function 050)
Budget Function 050 is the canonical "defense" total. It includes:
- Subfunction 051: DoD–Military (the Pentagon's base budget, including OCO through FY21)
- Subfunction 053: Atomic energy defense activities (NNSA nuclear weapons, within DOE)
- Subfunction 054: Defense-related activities (FBI counterintel, intel community reserves, Selective Service, etc.)
Enacted and requested totals
| Fiscal Year | DoD (051) | DOE/NNSA (053) | Other (054) | Total 050 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2014 enacted | $582 | $18 | $8 | $608 | BBA 2013 cap $520.5 B + OCO ~$85 B |
| FY2015 enacted | $560 | $18 | $8 | $586 | BBA 2013 cap $521.3 B + OCO $64 B; post-surge trough |
| FY2016 enacted | $580 | $19 | $16 | $615 | BBA 2015 cap; $58.6 B OCO inside 051 |
| FY2017 enacted | $597 | $20 | $17 | $634 | P.L. 115-31; $58.8 B OCO inside 051 |
| FY2018 enacted | $655 | $22 | $23 | $700 | Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123); incl. $71 B OCO |
| FY2019 enacted | $671 | $22 | $23 | $716 | Incl. $69 B OCO |
| FY2020 enacted | $712 | $24 | $21 | $757 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 |
| FY2021 enacted | $704 | $26 | $11 | $741 | P.L. 116-260; OCO mostly rolled into base |
| FY2022 enacted | $728 | $32 | $17 | $778 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 |
| FY2023 enacted | $800 | $33 | $25 | $858 | NDAA authorized $857.9 B |
| FY2024 enacted | $842 | $33 | $12 | $886 | Fiscal Responsibility Act cap |
| FY2025 enacted | $850 | $34 | ~$9 | $892.5 | Per CBO, via full-year CR |
| FY2026 request | $893 (disc.) + $113 (reconciliation) | $34 | ~$12 | ~$1,010 | Trump budget; first $1 T defense ask in history |
| FY2026 enacted DoD | $839.2 | — | — | — | Regular appropriations (P.L. 119-75) |
| FY2026 NDAA authorized | — | — | — | $890.6 | $8 B above request for the NDAA scope |
The FY14–FY15 trough. After the FY13 sequester hit hardest on defense, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (Ryan-Murray, P.L. 113-67) was the first bipartisan cap-relief deal. It raised FY14 defense discretionary authority to $520.5 B and FY15 to $521.3 B — above the BCA 2011 trajectory but still below the pre-BCA peak. At the same time, OCO spending was winding down as the post-surge Afghanistan presence shrank: ~$85 B in FY14 fell to ~$64 B in FY15. The net result is the only year-over-year nominal decline in 050 across the 13-year window: $608 B → $586 B. DoD base + OCO bottomed out in FY15, and the real Pentagon bottom (adjusted for inflation) persisted into FY16.
The FY16–FY17 sequester cap era. Under BBA 2015, discretionary defense caps were $548 B in FY16 and $551 B in FY17. Congress supplemented that with ~$58.8 B per year of OCO funding that didn't count against the caps, pushing total 051 above $580 B in FY16 and $597 B in FY17. By FY17, Congress and DoD had largely settled into OCO as a de facto slush-fund workaround — a pattern that continued until BBA 2018 blew the caps open and OCO was eventually folded into the base starting FY22.
The BBA 2018 effect. FY18 was the first year of the Trump first-term defense buildup. BBA 2018 lifted caps dramatically, and DoD Military jumped from ~$597 B enacted in FY17 to ~$655 B in FY18.
The FY26 spike, explained. The $1.01 trillion figure stitches together three pieces: (1) the normal DoD appropriations bill (~$839 B), (2) ~$34 B for NNSA nuclear weapons, and (3) the Pentagon's decision to burn through the entire $151 B reconciliation tranche in a single year instead of spreading it across the five-year window. Headline items funded by reconciliation include $25 B for the "Golden Dome" missile defense program, shipbuilding, munitions replenishment, and a military pay raise.
2. Federal Law Enforcement — DOJ Components
| Component | FY14 | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 req | FY26 enac |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FBI | $8.36 | $8.48 | $8.80 | $9.45 | $9.006 | $9.415 | $9.3 | $9.7 | $10.4 | $10.8 | $10.7 | $10.7 | $10.0 | $10.67 |
| DEA | $2.02 | $2.02 | $2.46 | $2.49 | $2.103 | $2.230 | $2.4 | $2.5 | $3.1 | $2.5 | $2.7 | $3.0 | $2.9 | $3.01 |
| ATF | $1.179 | $1.200 | $1.240 | $1.259 | $1.259 | $1.317 | $1.35 | $1.45 | $1.60 | $1.75 | $1.63 | $1.61 | $1.19 | $1.57 |
| US Marshals Service (S&E) | $1.16 | $1.23 | $1.23 | $1.25 | $1.30 | $1.37 | $1.45 | $1.50 | $1.55 | $1.70 | $1.71 | $1.71 | $1.71 | $1.75 |
| Bureau of Prisons | $6.88 | $7.00 | $6.95 | $7.14 | $7.10 | $7.25 | $7.79 | $7.90 | $7.80 | $8.30 | $8.40 | $8.30 | $8.00 | $8.40 |
| DOJ LE + BOP subtotal | $19.6 | $19.9 | $20.7 | $21.6 | $20.8 | $21.6 | $22.3 | $23.1 | $24.5 | $25.0 | $25.1 | $25.3 | $23.8 | $25.4 |
FY14–FY15 was continuing-resolution flat. DOJ LE + BOP barely grew ($19.6 B → $19.9 B, +1.5%). The FY14 enacted bill (P.L. 113-76) was the first real appropriations law after the 16-day October 2013 shutdown, and FY15 (P.L. 113-235) was negotiated under the shadow of a House GOP push to defund immigration executive orders — which ended up only holding back DHS funding, not DOJ. Net-of-inflation, these two years were declines in DOJ LE budget authority.
FY17 was a big year for the FBI — the enacted $9.45 B reflected a $652 M increase over FY16, the largest single-year FBI appropriation jump in the decade, driven by congressional response to the 2015 San Bernardino attack, the 2016 OPM breach aftermath, and emerging counterintelligence priorities. ATF's FY16 and FY17 numbers are essentially flat ($1.240 → $1.259 B). USMS figures are Salaries & Expenses only; total USMS appropriation including Federal Prisoner Detention was ~$2.68 B in FY16 and ~$2.71 B in FY17. DOJ LE + BOP grew only ~30% over the thirteen-year window — below cumulative inflation of ~40% across that period, meaning real DOJ LE budgets shrank.
3. Federal Law Enforcement — DHS Components
Regular (discretionary) appropriations
| Component | FY14 | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 req | FY26 enac |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBP | $11.8 | $12.6 | $12.4 | $13.6 | $14.06 | $14.30 | $18.12 | $15.3 | $15.5 | $17.5 | $17.4 | $20.2 | ~$22 | ~$21 |
| ICE | $5.2 | $5.96 | $6.1 | $6.2 | $7.10 | $7.60 | $8.37 | $8.3 | $8.1 | $8.4 | $9.7 | $10.4 | $11.3 | ~$11 |
| USSS (Secret Service) | $1.66 | $1.67 | $1.92 | $2.00 | $2.01 | $2.18 | $2.4 | $2.4 | $2.4 | $2.9 | $3.1 | $3.2 | ~$3.3 | ~$3.3 |
| DHS LE subtotal (regular approps) | $18.7 | $20.2 | $20.4 | $21.8 | $23.2 | $24.1 | $28.9 | $26.0 | $26.0 | $28.8 | $30.2 | $33.8 | ~$36.6 | ~$35.3 |
FY14 CBP and ICE numbers reflect the pre-CAS accounting restructure (in FY17, CBP consolidated its four major appropriations into two Operations & Support and Procurement, Construction & Improvements accounts, making cross-year comparisons noisy). FY14→FY15 DHS LE grew ~$1.5 B — the biggest component was CBP's +$0.8 B, driven by Border Patrol staffing requirements in P.L. 114-4 (the standalone DHS appropriations act passed in March 2015 after a funding lapse over immigration executive-order riders). USSS had a FY15 uplift after the September 2014 White House intrusion. The FY16–FY17 CBP numbers reflect the pre-wall-fight baseline under the Obama administration's final two years; CBP netted its first border-wall money in FY17 ($341 M). ICE growth was modest until FY18. Secret Service had a big FY16 bump (+$258 M over FY15) to fund the 2016 presidential campaign protective detail.
OBBBA reconciliation (signed July 4, 2025, P.L. 119-21)
The OBBBA provides roughly $170.7 billion in mandatory funding for immigration and border enforcement over FY2025–FY2029 — the largest single supplemental appropriation for DHS ever enacted. Key allocations:
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Border wall construction | $46.6 B |
| ICE enforcement & deportation operations (lump sum) | $29.9 B |
| Additional ICE detention capacity | ~$45 B |
| CBP facilities and checkpoints | $5.0 B |
| CBP personnel (3,000 new Border Patrol agents + FLETC) | $7.8 B |
| Border security technology / screening | $6.2 B |
| Other (FEMA shelter recovery, fee accounts, etc.) | ~$30 B |
| Total DHS mandatory via OBBBA | ~$170.7 B |
As of February 2026, OBBBA funds had been apportioned at roughly $56 B to CBP and $33 B to ICE across the multi-year window.
OBBBA-driven per-year uplift (Claude's estimate)
| Fiscal Year | DHS LE regular | + OBBBA drawdown (est.) | Effective DHS LE spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $33.8 | ~$25 | ~$59 |
| FY2026 | ~$35.3 | ~$40 | ~$75 |
| FY2027–FY2029 | ~$36 (avg.) | ~$35/yr (avg.) | ~$71/yr |
4. Other Federal Law Enforcement
Smaller LE components across Treasury, State, USPS, Interior, and the legislative branch. In FY14–15 these totaled ~$4.3–4.5 B; they've crept up to ~$6.1 B by FY25.
| Agency | Parent | FY14–15 | FY16–17 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) | Treasury | ~$0.50 B | ~$0.55 B | ~$0.80 B |
| Diplomatic Security Service (DSS, all programs) | State | ~$3.2 B | ~$3.4 B | ~$4.1 B |
| U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) | USPS (self-funded) | ~$0.19 B | ~$0.21 B | ~$0.25 B |
| U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) | Legislative | ~$0.35 B | ~$0.37 B | ~$0.77 B |
| U.S. Park Police (USPP) | Interior / NPS | ~$0.10 B | ~$0.10 B | ~$0.13 B |
| Other LE subtotal | ~$4.3–4.5 B | ~$4.7–4.8 B | ~$6.1 B |
USCP more than doubled across the 13-year window, with the biggest jumps after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack (FY14 ~$342 M → FY24 $770 M). TSA ($7.5 B in FY16 rising to ~$10 B now) and USCG are excluded from the LE total — screening and military service respectively.
5. Grand Totals and Trend
Figures in $ billions; FY2025–FY2026 shown with OBBBA effects:
| Fiscal Year | Defense (050) | DOJ LE + BOP | DHS LE (effective) | Other LE | Grand total | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2014 | $608 | $19.6 | $18.7 | $4.3 | $650.6 | — |
| FY2015 | $586 | $19.9 | $20.2 | $4.5 | $630.6 | −3.1% |
| FY2016 | $615 | $20.7 | $20.4 | $4.7 | $660.8 | +4.8% |
| FY2017 | $634 | $21.6 | $21.8 | $4.8 | $682.2 | +3.2% |
| FY2018 | $700 | $20.8 | $23.2 | $5.0 | $749.0 | +9.8% |
| FY2019 | $716 | $21.6 | $24.1 | $5.2 | $766.9 | +2.4% |
| FY2020 | $757 | $22.3 | $28.9 | $5.5 | $813.7 | +6.1% |
| FY2021 | $741 | $23.1 | $26.0 | $5.5 | $795.6 | −2.2% |
| FY2022 | $778 | $24.5 | $26.0 | $6.0 | $834.5 | +4.9% |
| FY2023 | $858 | $25.0 | $28.8 | $6.0 | $917.8 | +10.0% |
| FY2024 | $886 | $25.1 | $30.2 | $6.1 | $947.4 | +3.2% |
| FY2025 | $892 | $25.3 | ~$58.8 | $6.1 | $982.2 | +3.7% |
| FY2026 | ~$1,010 | $25.4 | ~$75 | $6.2 | ~$1,117 | +13.7% |
Twelve-year growth rate (FY14 → FY26):
- Defense: +66% nominal
- Federal LE (effective, incl. OBBBA): +133% — more than doubled, driven almost entirely by immigration enforcement
- Combined: +72% nominal
Cumulative budget authority, FY14–FY26 (13 years): ~$9.78 trillion for Defense 050 alone, ~$728 B for civilian federal LE (regular) or ~$791 B including OBBBA reconciliation drawdowns through FY26.
6. Methodology and Caveats
- Budget authority, not outlays. These are amounts Congress makes available; actual outlays trail by months to years for long-tail programs.
- OCO treatment. Through FY21, Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding was outside the discretionary caps and shows up within 051 / 054 in different years. FY22 onward, OCO was largely absorbed into the base.
- "Effective" FY2025/FY2026 LE spending assumes OBBBA multi-year funds are obligated roughly evenly across FY25–FY29 (per DHS apportionment through Feb 2026). The Pentagon's reconciliation surge, by contrast, is concentrated in FY26 per explicit DoD guidance.
- FY2014–FY2015 DOJ figures are from CRS R43509 (FY15 CJS) and R43080 (FY14 CJS), plus the joint explanatory statement to P.L. 113-235. DHS figures from CRS R43147 (FY14) and R43796 (FY15), noting the pre-CAS account structure — see note below.
- FY2014–FY2015 Defense 050 figures from CRS R43323 (FY14) and R43788 (FY15), CRS RL34424 (BCA trends), and DoD Comptroller Green Book FY2018 historical tables; includes base + OCO/GWOT inside 051 and 054. FY15 total 050 of $586 B is the nominal post-surge trough.
- FY2016–FY2017 DOJ figures are from CRS R43985 (FY16) and Senate Appropriations summaries of P.L. 115-31 Division B (FY17 CJS); DHS figures from CRS R44621 / R44660 / R44666.
- FY2016–FY2017 Defense 050 figures from CRS R44379 (FY17 request/enacted) and CBO historical defense data; includes base + OCO/GWOT spending inside 051 and 054 per BBA 2015 agreement.
- CBP/ICE accounting transition (FY17). CBP and ICE consolidated their legacy four-account structure (Salaries & Expenses; Automation Modernization; Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, & Technology; Air & Marine Operations) into two accounts (Operations & Support; Procurement, Construction, & Improvements) starting FY17. Pre-FY17 figures reflect the sum of the legacy accounts for comparability.
- Components omitted from LE totals: USCG (military), TSA (screening), state/local grants (not federal LE spending), intelligence community (classified, but ~$80 B annually is split between NIP and MIP, most of which rolls into Function 050).
- Rounding: individual line items are rounded to the nearest $0.1 B or $1 B; totals may not sum exactly.
7. Bibliography
Relevant Public Laws
- Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 / Ryan-Murray (P.L. 113-67).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76).
- National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (P.L. 113-66).
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 114-4).
- Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235).
- Carl Levin and Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (P.L. 113-291).
- Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-74).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113).
- Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 (Division C of P.L. 114-113).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141).
- Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123).
- Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-93).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260).
- William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-103).
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328).
- Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47).
- Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (P.L. 118-5).
- Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4).
- One Big Beautiful Bill Act / FY2025 reconciliation package (P.L. 119-21).
- Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 (P.L. 119-75, Division A).
Primary government sources
- Congressional Budget Office. An Analysis of the Obama Administration's Final Future Years Defense Program. CBO Publication 52450. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52450
- Congressional Budget Office. Long-Term Implications of the 2025 Future Years Defense Program. CBO Publication 61017. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61017
- Congressional Budget Office. Long-Term Implications of the 2024 Future Years Defense Program. CBO Publication 59703. https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59703
- Department of Defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). FY2026 Budget Request: Overview. 2025. https://comptroller.war.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2026/FY2026_Budget_Request.pdf
- Department of Defense, Comptroller. National Defense Budget Estimates (Green Book), FY2018. 2017. https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2018/FY18_Green_Book.pdf
- Department of Defense, Comptroller. Defense Budget Materials — FY2025 and FY2026. https://comptroller.war.gov/Budget-Materials/Budget2026/
- Department of Homeland Security. Budget-in-Brief, Fiscal Year 2016. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/FY_2016_DHS_Budget_in_Brief.pdf
- Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification. June 2025. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/25_0613_ice_fy26-congressional-budget-justificatin.pdf
- Department of Homeland Security. FY 2019 Budget Request: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. https://cmsny.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/FY2019-POTUS-Budget-Request-ICEupdated.pdf
- Department of Homeland Security. Congressional Budget Justification FY 2021. https://www.dhs.gov/publication/congressional-budget-justification-fy-2021
- Department of Justice. FY 2016 U.S. Marshals Service Performance Budget, Congressional Submission. 2015. https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/jmd/pages/attachments/2015/02/01/20._u.s._marshals_service_usms.pdf
- Department of Justice. FY 2026 Congressional Budget Submission. https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2026-congressional-budget-submission
- Department of Justice. FY 2018 Performance Budget, U.S. Marshals Service. https://www.justice.gov/d9/20-1_u.s._marshals_service_usms.pdf
- Department of Justice. FY 2024 Budget and Performance Summary. https://www.justice.gov/doj/fy-2024-budget-and-performance-summary
- Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Budget Request to U.S. House for Fiscal Year 2026. 2025. https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/federal-bureau-of-investigation-budget-request-for-fiscal-year-2026
- Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2020. 2019. https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/fbi-budget-request-for-fiscal-year-2020
- Office of Management and Budget. Budget of the U.S. Government, FY2027 (Analytical Perspectives). 2026. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/budget_fy2027.pdf
- U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill — Subcommittee Summary. June 2025. https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fy26-defense-bill-summary.pdf
- U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. FY2016 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Gains Subcommittee Approval. 2015. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/fy2016-homeland-security-appropriations-bill-gains-subcommittee-approval
- U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Senate Committee Passes FY2017 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. 2016. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/senate-committee-passes-fy2017-homeland-security-appropriations-bill
- U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Appropriations Committee Advances FY2017 Commerce, Justice & Science Bill. 2016. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/appropriations-committee-advances-fy2017-commerce-justice-and-science-bill
- U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. CJS Subcommittee Hearing: FY16 Budget for the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA & ATF. 2015. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/cjs-subcommittee-hearing-fy16-budget-for-the-fbi-us-marshals-service-dea-and-atf
Congressional Research Service reports
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2014 Appropriations. CRS R43080. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43080.html
- Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations. CRS R43509. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43509.html
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2014. CRS R43147. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43147.html
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2015. CRS R43796. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43796.html
- Defense: FY2014 Authorization and Appropriations. CRS R43323. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43323.html
- Defense: FY2015 Authorization and Appropriations. CRS R43788. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43788.html
- The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013: Adjustments to the Budget Control Act of 2011. CRS (Ryan-Murray) overview. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43411.html
- FY2017 Defense Budget Request: In Brief. CRS R44379. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44379.html
- Defense: FY2017 Budget Request, Authorization, and Appropriations. CRS R44454. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44454.html
- Selected Highlights of the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act. CRS R44497. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/R44497.pdf
- FY2017 Defense Appropriations Fact Sheet: Selected Highlights of H.R. 5293, S. 3000, and H.R. 1301. CRS R44531. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44531.html
- The Trump Administration's March 2017 Defense Budget Proposals: FAQ. CRS R44806. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44806.html
- FY2018 Defense Budget Request: The Basics. CRS R44866. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44866.html
- Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015: Adjustments to the Budget Control Act of 2011. CRS Insight IN10389. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN10389.html
- Discretionary Spending Levels Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. CRS Insight IN10861. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/PDF/IN10861/IN10861.3.pdf
- Defense Primer: The National Defense Budget Function (050). CRS IF10618. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IF10618.html
- FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act. CRS R45013. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45013.html
- The FY2019 Defense Budget Request: An Overview. CRS IF10887. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IF10887.html
- FY2020 Defense Budget Request: An Overview. CRS Insight IN11083. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN11083.html
- FY2021 Defense Budget Request: An Overview. CRS Insight IN11224. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN11224.html
- FY2024 Defense Budget Request: Context and Selected Issues for Congress. CRS R47582. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47582
- FY2025 Defense Appropriations: Summary of Funding. CRS IN12425. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12425
- FY2026 Department of Defense Appropriations: In Brief. CRS R48891. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48891
- FY2026 NDAA: Summary of Funding Authorizations. CRS IN12641. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN12641.html
- FY2016 Appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ). CRS R43985. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43985.html
- Gun Control: FY2017 Appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Other Initiatives. CRS R44686. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44686.html
- FY2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice. CRS R44938. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44938.html
- Overview of FY2019 CJS Appropriations. CRS R45237. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45237.html
- Overview of FY2020 CJS Appropriations. CRS R45702. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45702.html
- Overview of FY2021 CJS Appropriations. CRS R46290. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46290
- Overview of FY2022 CJS Appropriations. CRS R46868. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46868
- Overview of FY2024 CJS Appropriations. CRS R47566. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R47566.html
- Overview of FY2025 CJS Appropriations. CRS R48134. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R48134.html
- Overview of FY2026 CJS Appropriations. CRS R48643. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48643
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2017. CRS R44621. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44621.html
- DHS Appropriations FY2017: Security, Enforcement, and Investigations. CRS R44666. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44666.html
- DHS Appropriations FY2017: Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. CRS R44660. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44660.html
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2019. CRS R45268. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45268.html
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2021. CRS R46802. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R46802.html
- DHS Budget Request Analysis: FY2024. CRS R47496. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47496
- DHS Budget Request Analysis: FY2025. CRS R48074. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48074
- Comparing DHS Component Funding, FY2018: In Brief. CRS R44919. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44919.html
- Comparing DHS Component Funding, FY2024: In Brief. CRS R47678. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47678
- Comparing DHS Component Funding, FY2025: In Brief. CRS R48115. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48115
- Understanding the FY2026 DHS Budget Request. CRS R48704. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48704
- Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2026 Provisions. CRS R48705. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R48705.html
- DHS Border Barrier Funding Through FY2021. CRS R45888. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45888.html
- Appropriations for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP): In Brief. CRS R42486. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R42486.html
- Energy and Water Development: FY2016 Appropriations for Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Stewardship. CRS R43948. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43948.html
- Energy and Water Development: FY2017 Appropriations. CRS R44465. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R44465.html
- Energy and Water Development Appropriations for Nuclear Weapons Activities: In Brief. CRS R47657. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47657
News and journalism
- Cheung, Eric, et al. "Pentagon details record $1.5 trillion defense budget request." The Washington Post, April 21, 2026. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/21/pentagon-15-trillion-budget-details/
- Shepardson, David. "Pentagon formally unveils $961.6 billion budget for 2026, with reconciliation help." Breaking Defense, June 2025. https://breakingdefense.com/2025/06/pentagon-formally-unveils-961-6-billion-budget-for-2026-with-reconciliation-help/
- MeriTalk staff. "Trump Proposes $1.01T Defense Budget for FY2026." MeriTalk, 2025. https://www.meritalk.com/articles/trump-proposes-1-01t-defense-budget-for-fy-2026/
- Clark, Charles. "Pentagon plans to spend entire FY-26 reconciliation windfall at once; $38 billion boost." Inside Defense, 2025. https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/pentagon-plans-spend-entire-fy-26-reconciliation-windfall-once-38-billion-boost
- Thompson, Loren. "Why a $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Request Might Slow the Pentagon's Reform Efforts." War on the Rocks, 2026. https://warontherocks.com/cogs-of-war/why-a-1-5-trillion-defense-budget-request-might-slow-the-pentagons-reform-efforts/
- Erwin, Sandra. "Pentagon details funding strategy behind Trump's proposed $1.45 trillion defense budget." SpaceNews, 2025. https://spacenews.com/pentagon-details-funding-strategy-behind-trumps-proposed-1-45-trillion-defense-budget/
- Becker, Patty. "FBI, DEA Targeted for Broad Funding Cuts in Trump Proposal." Bloomberg Law, 2025. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/trump-seeks-nearly-8-budget-cut-for-justice-department
- Congressional Quarterly / Roll Call. "Senate appropriators to weigh in on Justice Department revamp." July 2025. https://rollcall.com/2025/07/09/senate-appropriators-to-weigh-in-on-justice-department-revamp/
- CBS News. "Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' gives ICE unprecedented funds to ramp up mass deportation campaign." 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-funding-big-beautiful-bill-trump-deportations/
- NPR. "Senate GOP is kickstarting budget reconciliation to fund ICE. Here's how that works." April 23, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/23/g-s1-118330/congress-dhs-spending-reconciliation
- NPR. "How ICE became the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency." January 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5674887/ice-budget-funding-congress-trump
Policy analysis (think tanks, advocacy, research organizations)
- American Immigration Council. What's in the Big Beautiful Bill? Immigration & Border Security Unpacked. 2025. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/big-beautiful-bill-immigration-border-security/
- Cato Institute. Nowrasteh, Alex. "Here's How the Administration Plans to Spend the Largest Immigration Enforcement Funding Surge in History." Cato at Liberty, 2026. https://www.cato.org/blog/heres-how-administration-plans-spend-largest-immigration-enforcement-funding-surge-history
- Brennan Center for Justice. "Big Budget Act Creates a 'Deportation-Industrial Complex.'" 2025. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/big-budget-act-creates-deportation-industrial-complex
- Center for American Progress. "The Trump Administration's Budget Will Undermine ATF's Efforts To Prevent Violent Crime." 2025. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administrations-budget-will-undermine-atfs-efforts-to-prevent-violent-crime/
- National Immigration Law Center (NILC). New Funding Increases Immigration Enforcement. 2025. https://www.nilc.org/resources/new-funding-increases-immigration-enforcement/
- Council on Criminal Justice. Unpacking the President's 2026 Budget. 2025. https://counciloncj.org/unpacking-the-presidents-2026-budget/
- Center for Strategic and International Studies. Harrison, Todd. Making Sense of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and What It Means for Defense. 2018. https://www.csis.org/analysis/making-sense-bipartisan-budget-act-2018-and-what-it-means-defense
- Center for Strategic and International Studies. What Does the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Mean for Defense? 2019. https://www.csis.org/analysis/what-does-bipartisan-budget-act-2019-mean-defense
- Center for Strategic and International Studies. Harrison, Todd, and Seamus P. Daniels. Analysis of the FY 2021 Defense Budget. 2020. https://defense360.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Analysis-of-the-FY-2021-Defense-Budget.pdf
- House Budget Committee Democrats. Focus on Function 050 – National Defense. https://democrats-budget.house.gov/focus-function-050-national-defense-0
Reference and data sources
- Military budget of the United States. Wikipedia, April 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States
- National Defense Authorization Act. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Authorization_Act
- Federal law enforcement in the United States. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States
- USAspending.gov — Department of Defense agency profile. https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-defense
- USAspending.gov — ICE Salaries and Expenses. https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/070-0540
- USAspending.gov — DEA Salaries and Expenses. https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/015-1100
- USAspending.gov — FBI Salaries and Expenses. https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/015-0200
- USAspending.gov — USMS Salaries and Expenses. https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/015-0324
- CBP. Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Amounts Available Report. https://www.cbp.gov/document/report/fiscal-year-2025-preliminary-amounts-available-report
- CBP. Congressional Resources — Budget & Appropriations. https://www.cbp.gov/about/congressional-resources/budget-appropriations
- DEA. Staffing and Budget. https://www.dea.gov/data-and-statistics/staffing-and-budget
- ATF. Budget & Performance. https://www.atf.gov/about/budget-performance
- U.S. Marshals Service. Budget and Performance. https://www.usmarshals.gov/budget-and-performance
- Statista. Border patrol program budget U.S. 1990–2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/455587/enacted-border-patrol-program-budget-in-the-us/
- U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data. Federal Spending. https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/