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

Republicans are seeking to kickstart the process on the Senate floor to pass a $72 billion budget package that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Security. Democrats have refused to fund both DHS subagencies in response to two civilian deaths at the hands of federal agents during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis in January, setting off a monthslong partial government shutdown.

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

Under budget reconciliation, the Senate has only a 50-vote threshold for clearing legislation, but it’s only allowed to be used for spending-related measures.

Voting on the package is expected to begin later Thursday, and the “vote-a-rama” process that’s a step in using budget reconciliation will 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 funds for security upgrades tied to his proposed White House ballroom. The Senate parliamentarian ruled last week that a $1 billion Secret Service provision for the project could not be included the the package, though Senate Republicans initially indicated they would restructure the language and try again.

Trump raged at the parliamentarian, a nonpartisan official who advises on Senate procedures, and demanded her firing in a post to TruthSocial. But by Wednesday, anger about the ballroom funding was growing amid the ranks, and Politico reported it would likely be cut from the reconciliation bill, in a blow to Trump.

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

“People are concerned about paying their mortgage or rent, affording groceries and paying for gas, not about putting together a $1.8 billion fund for the President and his allies to pay whomever they wish with no legal precedent or accountability,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who lost his bid for reelection in a Republican primary last weekend after Trump backed one of his opponents, posted to X on Wednesday.

“This is adding to our national debt. If there needs to be a settlement, the administration should bring it to Congress to decide,” Cassidy said.

Republicans are also in a time crunch. Both chambers are scheduled to leave for a one-week recess starting Friday, and Trump has set a self-imposed June 1 deadline for the package to reach his desk. As of Thursday morning, final text of the bill the Senate was expected to take up that same day had not yet been released. Once adopted in the Senate, the package would move to the House for final approval.

And while Democrats, who are in the minority in both chambers, will have little power to stop the package Republicans ultimately agree on, they will cease all opportunities to hammer their GOP colleagues on 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 multi-billion dollar MAGA slush fund,” Schumer said Thursday.