Senate Republicans drop $1bn ballroom security funding from immigration bill

Senate Republicans have abandoned their plan to allocate $1 billion for security enhancements at Donald Trump's White House ballroom. This funding was initially included in a broader $70 billion package aimed at bolstering agencies involved in Trump's mass deportation initiatives throughout his term.

The proposal had ignited a significant congressional dispute. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer declared his party's intention to "fight the funding with every tool we have." Democrats planned to introduce amendments, potentially forcing vulnerable Republicans into challenging votes ahead of the midterm elections.

The funding's path became more complex after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the ballroom money did not adhere to the rules of budget reconciliation, a procedure Republicans were using to bypass the Democratic filibuster. Additionally, Trump's announcement of a nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund to compensate allies drew objections from within the Republican party, leading to discussions about limiting that fund within the reconciliation bill.

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Even without Trump’s billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded ballroom – which Democrats successfully killed despite Republicans’ best efforts – this bill is rotten through and through.

These developments stalled the bill's progress, and Republicans missed a June 1 deadline set by Trump for the measure to reach his desk. The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, confirmed on Tuesday that the government was dropping the proposal. Republicans are expected to begin voting on the revised measure on Thursday, which would allocate $13 billion to Customs and Border Protection, $31 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and $2.5 billion to the Department of Homeland Security, all designated for immigration enforcement.

Schumer credited Democrats for compelling the GOP to revise the bill. "Even without Trump’s billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded ballroom – which Democrats successfully killed despite Republicans’ best efforts – this bill is rotten through and through," he stated. He reiterated his threat to use "vote-arama," a process allowing senators to offer amendments, to make Republicans publicly defend Trump's policies on issues like costs, tariffs, the Iran conflict, and alleged abuses of power by ICE and border patrol.

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Republicans will have to vote on costs. Republicans will have to vote on tariffs. Republicans will have to vote on Trump’s disastrous war with Iran. Republicans will have to vote on ICE and border patrol’s abuses of power.