Trump budget would slash Coast Guard funding: report

The Trump administration’s proposed budget will include a 14 percent cut in Coast Guard funding to help pay for a crackdown on illegal immigration, according to a new report.

The potential reduction would shrink the Coast Guard’s budget from $9.1 billion to $7.8 billion, Politico reported Tuesday.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is also eyeing the budgets of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for similar cuts.

{mosads}The OMB wants 11 percent cuts at each agency to help boost the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) budget by 6 percent. The DHS would then have a $43.8 billion budget, including an extra $3 million for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Politico reports.

Federal agencies will be allowed to appeal any proposed budget cuts once President Trump proposes a full federal budget. The funding decisions will ultimately be made by Congress. 

The Trump administration’s budget outline, which is expected in mid-May, is expected to seek deep cuts across the federal government to help pay for a $54 billion increase in defense spending.