Axios Northwest Arkansas
August 11, 2026
1 big thing: Deportations would cost Arkansas taxpayers $1,700 each
American taxpayers would pay about $2,358 each for President Trump's mass deportation push, according to a new calculator from the Economic Policy Institute.
Why it matters: The estimate fuels debate over whether billions of federal dollars devoted to deportations could instead fund other public priorities such as food assistance, health care or housing.
Zoom in: Arkansas is contributing an estimated $1.4 billion on deportations and detainments, or about $1,700 per taxpayer, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
By the numbers: EPI estimates the $268.9 billion projected for deportations could alternatively fund more than 118 million additional SNAP recipients over the remaining 2.5 years of the Trump administration, based on National Priorities Project data.
- Or nearly 12 million additional people could receive Medicaid.
- Or more than 9.7 million households could gain access to low-cost public housing.
What they're saying: "I don't think people realize how much money is being spent on these mass deportations," Gordon Lafer, a professor at the University of Oregon's Labor Education and Research Center and research associate at EPI, tells Axios.
- "... we're spending an unbelievable amount of money, chasing down, detaining, deporting people," he said, noting that most undocumented people lack criminal records. "It costs money that is desperately needed for other things in almost every community in the country."
The other side: A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson blamed the Biden administration in a statement to Axios for ignoring the costs of illegal immigration and said the administration's self-deportation program saves taxpayers money.
- The spokesperson encouraged undocumented immigrants to use the CBP Home app, saying the U.S. offers a free flight and a $2,600 stipend to self-deport. The statement said that brings the cost of a self-deportation to about $5,100, saving taxpayers more than $13,000 per person compared with traditional deportation.
Zoom in: EPI estimated each area's share of federal income taxes to calculate how much taxpayers in each state, county and city would contribute toward deportation spending.
Yes, but: Taxpayers in states that contribute less in federal income taxes would pay less.
Context: The $268.9 billion the administration is slated to spend over the course of Trump's second term on deportations is from a combination of money from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, budget reconciliation bills, regular appropriations and other repurposed funds.
- DHS previously told Axios in July that the government spends roughly $18,000 per non-voluntary deportation.
What's next: If Congress approves additional funding through the appropriations process or other avenues, total deportation spending would increase.
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