U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly considering a plan to reduce its detention capacity by releasing thousands of migrants from custody.
The move comes a week after the Senate failed to approve a bipartisan bill that would have eliminated the agency's $700 million budget deficit by providing an additional $6 billion in supplemental funding for ICE enforcement operations, The Washington Post reported.
According to The Post, which cited four anonymous officials at ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, an estimated 16,000 migrants could be released. That would cut current detention levels from 38,000 to 22,000, per the report.
Another report by CBS News puts that figure at a smaller number, between 4,000 and 6,000 migrants.
As for where those migrants would go, The Post reports some would deported back to their home countries, while many would simply be released into the US.
ICE director Patrick Lechleitner warned earlier this month that the agency would be forced to make "some tough decisions" if Congress failed to act on approving supplemental funding.
In a statement to CNN, a Homeland Security spokesperson said there's no way ICE can keep up its current operations without additional funding.
"The Administration has repeatedly requested additional resources for DHS's vital missions on the southwest border and Congress has chronically underfunded them," the statement said. "Without adequate funding for CBP, ICE, and USCIS, the Department will have to reprogram or pull resources from other efforts."
Erin Heeter, a DHS spokesperson, also warned that a "reduction in ICE operations would significantly harm border security, national security, and public safety," per CBS.
ICE has not yet confirmed the plan so at this point, the potential release of thousands of migrants is not guaranteed.