The Laken Riley Act requires a significant increase in funding and additional beds, according to ICE.

The Laken Riley Act, an anti-illegal immigration bill, will cost an additional $3 billion due to ICE needing 60,000 detention beds.

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., questioned ICE about the Laken Riley Act's effects. The bill, which passed the House this month, is expected to be approved by the Senate. It mandates DHS to detain illegal immigrants who have been arrested for theft-related offenses.

The bill, named after Laken Riley, has gained support from both Republicans and Democrats and allows states to sue DHS for immigration law enforcement failures.

According to a letter obtained by Fox, ICE has identified over 60,000 illegal immigrants who would meet the criteria for arrest on its detained and non-detained dockets. This information was first reported by Politico.

"The Laken Riley Act mandates ERO to detain noncitizens immediately, which would necessitate at least 64,000 additional detention beds. However, this does not factor in other immigration enforcement requirements that may require additional detention capacity."

ICE estimates that increasing its capacity would require a funding increase of approximately $3.2 billion. Furthermore, it estimates that it will need 10 new Mobile Crisis Assistance Teams (MCAT) and a HQ law enforcement officer across eight field offices, requiring an additional nearly $15 million along with associated equipment.

ERO claims it has the power to meet the Act's requirements and does not need any additional authorization.

If the agency does not obtain additional bedspace, it may be forced to release thousands of illegal immigrants.

"If additional funding is not obtained and ICE continues to operate at its current capacity, the agency will not have the ability to detain noncitizens who have been convicted or charged with property crimes. ERO predicts that tens of thousands of noncitizens will need to be released by the end of the fiscal year, potentially releasing public safety threats."

A challenge to implementation is the lack of cooperation from ICE's state and local law enforcement partners, as well as the challenges posed by sanctuary cities.

ICE has previously expressed concern about its funding levels, stating in its FY 24 report that it is already underfunded despite its existing responsibilities.

Despite facing limited resources and competing priorities, the agency remained committed to supporting the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies in their mission to secure the border throughout the year.

President-elect Trump has pledged to initiate a large-scale deportation operation, with ICE serving as the operational agency. In Congress, Republicans are readying to implement substantial budget adjustments through the budget reconciliation process. Border security and interior enforcement are likely to be the top priorities for Republicans, given their prominence in the 2024 election.