Trump Administration's CBP Withdraws from Biden-Era Policy Allowing Private Donations for Migrants in Custody

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has formally ended its participation in a 2022 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directive that authorized the solicitation and acceptance of private gifts and donations for the care of migrants in federal custody. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott issued an internal memo withdrawing the agency from DHS Delegation 07107, Rev. 1, effective immediately, citing a sharp decline in border encounters and alignment with the current administration's enforcement priorities.

The original delegation, signed May 3, 2022, by then-DHS Deputy Secretary John K. Tien, empowered CBP and ICE leadership to seek and use such contributions amid elevated migrant numbers during the prior administration. Scott noted in the memo that the policy "is no longer needed or appropriate" given reduced apprehensions and that it conflicts with strengthened border enforcement measures.

Fox News obtained the memo exclusively and confirmed the details with CBP, which indicated the directive had only recently been rediscovered by agency leadership. Reports from PJ Media and RedState echoed the account, highlighting the policy's origins under the Biden administration and its termination as part of broader shifts in immigration handling.

This action fits within wider Trump administration efforts to curtail indirect support mechanisms for illegal immigration, including a 2025 executive order aimed at ending taxpayer subsidization of open-border policies and initiatives promoting self-deportation. While the withdrawal applies directly to CBP, reports do not confirm whether ICE has similarly exited the delegation.

The change signals a policy pivot away from supplementing federal resources with private funds for migrant care in custody, potentially affecting nonprofit and community initiatives that previously coordinated with federal facilities. With encounters down significantly, the move underscores a return to reliance on appropriated taxpayer funding exclusively for enforcement and removal operations.