Department of Homeland Security
DHS · FY2017–FY2026 budget trends
Secures U.S. borders through CBP and ICE, manages disaster response through FEMA, screens airline passengers through TSA, and protects critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Created after 9/11, DHS has become a $61 billion spending behemoth.
💰 Taxpayer Accountability
The department's rapid growth and sprawling mission have made it a magnet for contractor spending with limited accountability. DHS has never passed a clean financial audit, and its component agencies — from TSA's theatrical security to FEMA's disaster spending controversies — regularly demonstrate the pitfalls of government expansion.
Budget Authority (FY2026)
$349.5B
Total Contracts
$28.3B
Total Grants
$32.8B
Budget Growth (FY17→25)
+153.1%
+$44.4B
Contracts vs Grants
Budget Trend
Year-over-Year Changes
| FY | Budget | YoY | Obligated | YoY | Outlays | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $101.2B | — | $82.2B | — | $75.1B | — |
| 2018 | $153.0B | +51.3% | $106.9B | +30.1% | $95.6B | +27.2% |
| 2019 | $139.2B | -9.0% | $91.6B | -14.3% | $84.4B | -11.7% |
| 2020 | $195.6B | +40.4% | $160.4B | +75.0% | $120.9B | +43.2% |
| 2021 | $197.9B | +1.2% | $142.0B | -11.4% | $121.0B | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $173.8B | -12.2% | $133.2B | -6.2% | $111.9B | -7.5% |
| 2023 | $169.4B | -2.5% | $133.7B | +0.4% | $121.9B | +8.9% |
| 2024 | $176.2B | +4.0% | $140.6B | +5.2% | $127.3B | +4.5% |
| 2025 | $396.8B | +125.2% | $171.2B | +21.7% | $155.7B | +22.3% |
| 2026 | $349.5B | -11.9% | $37.8B | -77.9% | $31.1B | -80.0% |
How This Agency's Growth Compares
Department of Homeland Security grew +153.1% from FY2017 to FY2025 — #2 fastest growing of 18 major agencies.
| # | Agency | Growth % | Growth $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Energy | +154.4% | +$49.4B |
| 2 | → Department of Homeland Security | +153.1% | +$44.4B |
| 3 | General Services Administration | +107.7% | +$12.9B |
| 4 | Department of Transportation | +97.4% | +$66.5B |
| 5 | Department of the Interior | +90.5% | +$8.8B |
| 6 | Department of State | +84.0% | +$16.2B |
| 7 | Department of Health and Human Services | +66.7% | +$809.9B |
| 8 | Social Security Administration | +64.9% | +$643.6B |
| 9 | Department of Defense | +52.8% | +$173.1B |
| 10 | Department of Agriculture | +49.9% | +$61.7B |
| 11 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | +43.8% | +$23.7B |
| 12 | Department of Veterans Affairs | +41.7% | +$84.8B |
| 13 | Department of Education | +28.1% | +$21.1B |
| 14 | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | +24.4% | +$4.5B |
| 15 | Railroad Retirement Board | +15.1% | +$1.9B |
| 16 | Department of Labor | +10.1% | +$1.1B |
| 17 | Department of Justice | -2.5% | -$292.0M |
| 18 | Agency for International Development | -26.6% | -$4.4B |
Related Agencies
Related Pages
Budget Functions
How federal spending is categorized by purpose and function.
Read more →Top Contractors
Which companies receive the most federal contract dollars.
Read more →Spending Explosion
How federal spending has grown dramatically since 2017.
Read more →Sub-Agencies
Detailed spending by sub-agencies and bureaus.
Read more →Source: USASpending.gov · U.S. Department of the Treasury