U.S. 2010 budgetDHS 2010 budget increases by 6 percent

Published 8 May 2009

Proposed $43 billion 2010 DHS budget emphasizes border and transportation security, de-emphasizes a national network of sensors to detect dirty bombs

President Obama has sent Congress his first budget — a $3.4 trillion budget proposal. The budget eliminates 121 programs previously supported in FY 2009. The DHS budget has been increased by 6 percent over last year, to $43 Billion. Next week we will analyze the proposed DHS budge in greater detail. Here is what has caught our eye today:

  • DHS budget would increase spending on border and transportation security but would slash funding for a domestic network of sensors to detect a nuclear bomb or radioactive materials.
  • The budget adds money to support recently announced plans to support the Mexico government’s war on drug cartels by adding 450 federal agents to crack down on smuggling of guns, cash, and drugs at the border. It also would hire 80 more officers to deport illegal immigrants who commit crimes.
  • Obama relies on a $2.5 billion hike in per-ticket airline passenger security fees to pay for a small increase in DHS spending.
  • The administration does not seeks new funding to purchase equipment under the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), a priority of the former Bush administration, saying the DHS will shift to a new funding model for detection technology in future budgets.