Estrella Galán· The Left

Nuanced

ICE has a larger budget than the armies of many EU member states

Omissions

• The claim does not specify which EU member states are being compared. While ICE's budget exceeds many smaller EU countries, it is significantly smaller than the defense budgets of major EU military powers like Germany (€95 billion), France (~€50 billion), Italy (~€30 billion), and Spain (~€15 billion). The comparison is technically accurate but selective.
• The $12 billion ICE figure represents the base budget; additional congressional appropriations in 2025 may have increased this to approximately $29.9 billion for enforcement operations, which would exceed even more EU defense budgets.
• Currency conversion rates fluctuate; the euro-dollar exchange rate affects precise comparisons.

Sources

• SecondaryStatista - ICE Budget ChartICE spent close to $12 billion in FY2025, up from approximately $10 billion in previous years
• SecondaryAmerican Immigration Council$29.9 billion toward ICE's enforcement and deportation operations approved by Congress in 2025
• SecondaryEP Think Tank - EU Member States' Defence BudgetsGermany's 2025 defense budget is €95 billion; EU defense expenditure was €381 billion in 2024
• SecondaryEuronews - Europe's Defence LandscapeEU countries spent €343.2 billion on defense in 2024, with Germany and France accounting for 44% of total
• SecondaryGlobal Firepower - Defense Budget by CountryRanking of global defense budgets showing many EU member states with budgets below $12 billion