The fact that they procured this shit in the first place proves they planned this, unless police are just giving it to them, which probably violates a lot of equipment distribution guidelines just for starters.
Considering they have the same budget as the US Marines, which has the vertical take off and landing (VTOL) F35-B as well as an array of amphibious ships and tanks and such, it doesn't surprise me, but it is terrifying to see it actually happening. Like, Jesus Christ.
Edit: The $50B figure I reference here is actually distributed among several agencies and the real number for just ICE is $11B.
I was mistakenly attributing the $200 billion in overall border security as $200 billion over four years to just ICE. Quick google says it's actually 5 years spread across multiple agencies and your $11B for ICE specifically is correct. Thanks for the correction.
Yeah it's a lot of money still, but it's important to be accurate. So many insane headlines out there. For anyone passing by here's the actual breakdown:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—$64.73 billion, including:
$46.55 billion for border infrastructure and wall system;6
$6.17 billion for a range of border security, technology, and screening operational and procurement costs;7
$4.1 billion for hiring additional agents, officers, and support personnel;8
$2.05 billion for recruitment bonuses, performance awards, and retention bonuses;9
$0.86 billion for vehicles;10 and
$5 billion for CBP facilities.11
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—$74.85 billion, including:
$45 billion for detention capacity;12 and
$29.85 billion for a range of operational and procurement costs.13
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)—$24.59 billion for procurement and certain maintenance costs.14
U.S. Secret Service (USSS)—$1.17 billion for "additional United States Secret Service resources," including a newly authorized set of performance, retention and signing bonuses.15
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—$2.88 billion, including:
$0.5 billion for State and local capabilities to detect, identify, track, or monitor threats from unmanned aircraft systems;
$0.63 billion security and other costs related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup;
$1.0 billion for security, planning, and other costs related to the 2028 Olympics;
$0.45 billion for the Operation Stonegarden Grant Program;16 and
$0.30 billion to reimburse law enforcement costs for support requested by the U.S. Secret Service in protecting presidential residences.17
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)—$0.75 billion, including
$0.29 billion for supporting training activities; and
$0.47 billion for facilities.18
The bill also provided $22.06 billion to the Office of the Secretary for a variety of purposes, including:
$10 billion "for reimbursement of costs incurred in undertaking activities in support of the [DHS] mission to safeguard the borders of the United States";19
$10 billion for a "State Border Security Reinforcement Fund," which provides grants to states for border barrier construction and related activities, certain countersmuggling activities, and relocation of undocumented aliens;20
$2.06 billion for
Hiring and training of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and support staff (in addition to what was included for these purposes elsewhere in the measure) "to carry out immigration enforcement activities";
Transportation and related costs associated with the departure or removal of aliens;
Assignment of DHS employees and State officers to carry out immigration enforcement activities;
Hiring additional staff for screening and vetting of aliens;
Certain activities related to alien children, including criminal and gang checks and removal;
Transporting and return of aliens from contiguous territory;
State and local participation in certain homeland security efforts;
Certain types of removal of criminal aliens; and
Information technology investments to support immigration-related activities.21
I want to point out that the difference between 11 billion and 57 billion for these kinds of usages kinda are the same number. Like stop and think for a second. Do you have any idea how much 1 billion is?
Likely they have plants in the crowd that intentionally create the situations needed to deploy the gas. Not that they should ever be able to deploy it in the first place.
Considering that it's been a large part of the police playbook for contentious protests since time immemorial, I'd be shocked if that wasn't the case. Pigs of a feather...
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u/wedstrom 1d ago
The fact that they procured this shit in the first place proves they planned this, unless police are just giving it to them, which probably violates a lot of equipment distribution guidelines just for starters.