American taxpayers would pay about $2,358 each for President Trump's mass deportation efforts, according to a new calculator tool from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The total projected cost of $268.9 billion over the remaining 2.5 years of the Trump administration could alternatively fund social programs such as food assistance, health care, or housing, the EPI estimates.
The EPI's analysis, based on data from the National Priorities Project, highlights the trade-offs involved in the federal spending on deportations. Gordon Lafer, a professor at the University of Oregon's Labor Education and Research Center and research associate at EPI, said that many people in the U.S. struggle with hunger, affordable housing, and lack of health insurance. He noted that much of the deportation spending is directed at detaining and removing people who often lack criminal records.
The $268.9 billion projected for deportations could alternatively fund more than 118 million additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, nearly 12 million additional Medicaid enrollees, or provide low-cost public housing to more than 9.7 million households. This comparison underscores the significant opportunity cost of the deportation policy amid ongoing social needs across the country.
EPI's calculator and analysis were published on August 5, providing a detailed breakdown of the federal expenditure on deportations and its potential alternative uses. The report aims to inform public debate on federal budget priorities and the social impact of immigration enforcement policies.