Published by TrenBuzz.com | June 3, 2026 | BREAKING
Key Points at a Glance – Republicans Finally Move the $72 Billion Immigration Bill
- Senate advanced the $72 billion DHS immigration reconciliation package 53 to 46 Wednesday.
- All $1 billion in ballroom and Secret Service East Wing security funding was stripped from the revised bill.
- Acting AG Todd Blanche confirmed the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is also dead.
- Both concessions allowed enough Republicans to return from their walkout last week and advance the bill.
- A vote-a-rama marathon began Wednesday night, setting up final passage Thursday.
- Democrats vowed unlimited amendment votes on tariffs, Iran war costs, and ICE abuses.
Last week, Senate Republicans went home. Wednesday, they came back. And the price of their return was the golden ballroom.
In a 53 to 46 vote, the Senate voted along party lines to proceed to the reconciliation package, setting up a marathon vote series before final passage. A revised version of one part of the package released Wednesday also dropped language that would have provided $1 billion in security funding for the Secret Service, including for President Trump’s East Wing renovation, where he plans to build a massive ballroom. That funding faced intense scrutiny from a handful of Republicans, prompting senators to abandon it.
Why the Ballroom Was Dropped
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters: “It’s not in here. I suspect if there’s something that people want to see get done there, they’d probably go through the appropriations process.” Some GOP senators also had political concerns, worried that funding the ballroom as Americans wrestle with cost-of-living issues ahead of the midterms would portray them as out-of-touch.
The Anti-Weaponization Fund Also Killed
Republicans started reworking the provision but then gave up and left town in a furor over Trump’s $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday the slush fund is dead, prompting Senate Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief and get back on their immigration bill with no provisions addressing the slush fund and no ballroom.
Democrats Ready to Fight Through Vote-a-Rama
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said his party would use vote-a-rama to put Republicans on record: “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.”
Senate Republicans drop Trump ballroom funding immigration reconciliation bill vote-a-rama 2026: The immigration bill survived the ballroom debacle and the slush fund revolt. Final passage is expected Thursday. The midterm clock is ticking.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All legislative details and quotes are sourced from CBS News, CNN, KTVZ, HuffPost, CNBC, and Irish Star as of June 3, 2026. The reconciliation bill had not received final passage as of publication. TrenBuzz.com does not represent any government or legislative body. Readers are encouraged to follow credible news and official Congressional sources for real-time updates.