Senate abandons Trump: New ICE funding bill leaves out $1B for ballroom, $1.8B ‘slush fund’

Republicans went into Memorial Day holiday warning that ICE funding would be endangered by the president’s demand for a ‘slush fund’

Bookmark
CommentsGo to comments

Bookmark popover

Removed from bookmarks

Close popover

Senate Majority Leader John Thune couldn't get his caucus to support the DOJ's weaponization fund at Trump's behest (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

Read moreSupport Now

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.Read more

The Senate officially rejected two of Donald Trump’s biggest priorities for the upcoming budget reconciliation bill on Wednesday as the chamber published the text of a bill to fund ICE and CBP.

With Senate Republicans retreating from negotiations with Democrats over ICE funding and turning to the filibuster-proof reconciliation process, Trump pressed the chamber to include a $1 billion funding item related to his construction of a ballroom on the White House grounds, as well as $1.776 billion to fund a “weaponization fund” meant to distribute payouts to people prosecuted by the Department of Justice under Democratic administrations. The latter was derided as a “slush fund” for Trump’s friends and political allies, including by some Senate Republicans.

Both of those items were stripped from the bill text published by the Senate GOP on Wednesday after a full-scale revolt in the chamber threatened the reconciliation bill’s path forward last month.

This is a breaking news report. More to follow…