Last week, the Office of Management and Budget released the Trump administration’s proposed budget for federal agencies and the funding they administer. Several key features of the proposal provide a key sneak peek at upcoming priorities and potential funding negotiations.
The budget’s focus on incarceration is underscored by a $40.8 billion request for the Department of Justice, a 13% increase ($4.7 billion) over 2026 levels. This funding is explicitly targeted at maximizing DOJ’s capacity to “lock up violent offenders” and “demolish foreign drug cartels.” The budget narrative also calls for an additional 20 grants to be eliminated. This proposed funding focus, combined with proposed cuts and consolidation within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, could spell further disaster for vital reentry support programs and reintegration-focused initiatives.
While the JCC prioritizes increasing pathways to employment and resource access, this budget implements a $73 billion (10%) reduction in non-defense spending. This is achieved, in part, through elimination and consolidation of several programs and agencies currently leveraged by impacted individuals to enhance and contribute toward entrepreneurial business development and poverty alleviation for impacted communities.
The budget proposal also calls for the complete elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). These funds serve directly impacted renters and home owners to ensure that utilities are truly reduced in cost versus merely being delayed in extreme weather months.
As advocates and policymakers anticipate and grapple with the potential for additional holes in service provision and funding streams, opportunities remain to partner with state and local policymakers and reentry experts in order to maintain economic mobility and continuity of care for the thousands who reenter every day. As you review the more in-depth analysis, consider the following:
- How can you leverage Fair Chance Month to uplift the existing and anticipated challenges outlined by the administration? Where could new initiatives “plug” these holes in resources?
- As the federal government prioritizes apprenticeships and shifting programmatic funding ownership to states, where is state and local advocacy needed to ensure dollars are steered to impacted communities?
Download the full analysis of the President’s FY 2027 Budget