US Senate refuses to push through ICE funding amid row over Trump’s ballroom
ICE funding bid derailed amid Republican backlash to attempt to latch ballroom funding on to immigration bill
TL;DR
- A bid to restore funding to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol has been derailed.
- The Senate will not pass the $70 billion legislation before the June 1 deadline.
- Rows over a $1 billion proposal for security measures tied to Donald Trump’s White House ballroom and a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund have caused the stalemate.
- Congressional Republicans are concerned about diverting taxpayer dollars to Trump's project amid cost of living concerns.
- Some Senate Republicans question the legality of the "anti-weaponization" fund, which critics call a slush fund.
- Senate Democrats pledged to oppose the ballroom funding.
- President Trump claims the ballroom funding is for "national security" purposes.