Trump ballroom, ‘slush fund’ flashpoint in DHS funding bill debate

Republicans are trying to start the process on the Senate floor to pass a $72 billion budget package that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Democrats have refused to defund both DHS sub-agencies in response to the deaths of two civilians at the hands of federal agents during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis in January, triggering a month-long partial government shutdown.

In April, Congress passed and Trump signed a law to defund the rest of the agency, effectively ending the partial shutdown, as Republicans sought funding for ICE and CBP through the budget reconciliation process.

Under budget reconciliation, the Senate only has a 50-vote threshold to approve legislation, but is allowed to use it only for spending-related measures.

Voting on the package is expected to begin later Thursday, and the “vote-a-rama” process that is a step in using budget reconciliation would allow Democrats to introduce amendments to the budget framework and force GOP lawmakers to take politically inconvenient votes.

For one, intraparty divisions emerged this week among Republicans over whether to include taxpayer funding for security upgrades associated with their proposed White House ballroom. The Senate parliamentarian ruled last week that a $1 billion Secret Service provision for the project could not be included in the package, although Senate Republicans initially indicated they would restructure the language and try again.

Trump lashed out at the parliamentarian, a non-partisan official who advises on Senate procedures, and called for his firing Post on TruthSocial. But by Wednesday, anger over Ballroom funding was growing among the ranks Politico reported It will likely be removed from the reconciliation bill, which would be a blow to Trump.

Tensions also rose this week over a $1.8 billion “anti-weapons” fund announced as part of Trump’s settlement with the Internal Revenue Service. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch was sent to the Hill on Thursday to meet with senators on the fund.

“People are worried about paying their mortgage or rent, buying groceries and paying for gas, not about the president and his allies raising a $1.8 billion fund that they want to pay off without any legal precedent or accountability,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who lost his bid for reelection in last weekend’s Republican primary after Trump endorsed one of his opponents. Posted on x On Wednesday.

Cassidy said, “It is adding to our national debt. If a compromise is needed, the administration should bring it to Congress for a decision.”

Republicans are also in a time crunch. Both Houses are scheduled to go on a week-long recess starting Friday, and Trump has scheduled a self-campaign June 1st deadline For the package to reach his desk. As of Thursday morning, the final text of the bill, which was expected to be considered by the Senate the same day, had not yet been released. Once adopted in the Senate, the package will go to the House for final approval.

And while Democrats, who are in the minority in both houses, will have little power to block the package that Republicans ultimately agree to, they will foreclose all opportunities to attack their GOP colleagues over rising costs and the alleged corruption of the Trump administration.

“Democrats are cracking down on corruption in government. Republicans are actively helping Trump steal from the American people to fund his ballroom and his billion-dollar MAGA slush fund,” Schumer said Thursday.