Four in five approved baselines had been revised
GAO examined 27 major Department of Homeland Security acquisition programs, generally those costing more than $300 million. Nineteen had approved cost, schedule and performance baselines; 15 of those 19—78.9%—had revised their goals at least once by September 30, 2025.
Projected baselined costs collectively rose $11.4 billion, or 26%, from the original plans. Eighteen of 19 programs were meeting their latest baselines, but that favorable measure incorporates the resets; it is not the same as meeting original cost and schedule commitments.
| Measure | Count/value | Newsroom calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Programs reviewed | 27 | 100% |
| Programs with approved baselines | 19 | 70.4% |
| Baselines revised | 15 of 19 | 78.9% |
| Projected cost growth | $11.4 billion | +26% |
Staffing and oversight weakened at the same time
Eight of the 27 programs lost at least 20% of staff in fiscal 2025, according to GAO. DHS also dissolved the office responsible for department-level acquisition oversight in October 2025; officials were still unsure in January 2026 how much oversight would continue.
At least one part of that office was reconstituted by May 2026. Meanwhile, 12 programs expected at least $14 billion from the 2025 budget reconciliation law, increasing the stakes for consistent review.
A revised baseline can obscure original performance
Baselines are supposed to let Congress and managers compare actual performance with an approved plan. Updating one can be justified when requirements or conditions change, but repeated resets make the original commitment less visible.
GAO reported that most programs with revised baselines delayed delivery of full capabilities. It singled out the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter as still working to revise its baseline for additional delay and cost growth.
Method and limits
The newsroom calculated proportions from GAO’s program counts and compared original-baseline growth with latest-baseline performance. GAO reviewed records and interviewed officials; its cutoff was the end of fiscal 2025, with later oversight updates through May 2026.
The $11.4 billion is projected portfolio growth, not proven waste or money already spent. Program-level records are needed to assign causes. The accountability finding is narrower: most approved baselines changed, even while DHS reported most programs meeting the revised targets.