Tell Congress: Reject tens of billions for ICE violence and Trump’s ballroom
Tell Congress: Reject tens of billions for ICE violence and Trump’s ballroom
- Thu, May 14 2026 at 5:08 PM
“I don't think about Americans’ financial situation,” Trump recently told reporters.
He didn’t need to tell us, Mark, because his budget requests say everything we need to know:
Right now, Congress is dangerously close to passing a bill that would pour $70 billion more taxpayer dollars into ICE and CBP at Trump’s behest, supercharging the machinery of detention, deportation, and mass surveillance. Think that’s outrageous? Wait until you hear Republicans have also slipped another $1 BILLION into the bill for Trump’s White House ballroom.
It’s an unconscionable use of our resources. But thanks to tireless advocacy from movement partners and activists like you, Democrats held the line against more funding for ICE and CBP. That’s why Republican leadership is working to jam this bill through on a party-line vote. But it won’t be easy — their party is already fracturing, and House Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose two votes.[1]
Together, we can show lawmakers how badly this will backfire and help block this outrageous funding bill. Let’s remind everyone on Capitol Hill that we resoundingly reject billions for ICE violence and lavish ballrooms while people struggle.
Last year, Congress handed ICE a staggering $75 billion with virtually no meaningful oversight — multiplying its budget sevenfold and turning it into the most heavily funded federal law enforcement agency in the country.We know what happened next: Billions flowed into raids, deportations, family separations, and the expansion of private detention centers that profit from human suffering. ICE murdered people in the streets. It was all paid for with the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history.
While people struggle to put food on the table and gas in the car, Congress is debating sending tens of billions of our taxpayer dollars toward rogue agencies, pouring gasoline on a fire that is already burning out of control.
A different choice is possible, because even Republicans know this one is indefensible, Mark. “There is no way in hell that this will get 218 votes on the floor,” one House Republican put bluntly.[1]
They understand that the public isn’t on their side: Americans resoundingly reject funding ICE’s abuses, and they certainly don’t want to bankroll another one of Trump’s vanity projects.
Together, advocacy groups and activists like you helped create the political pressure that blocked ICE funding earlier this year. Now, as Republican leadership attempts to ram through another dangerous, misguided funding bill, we need to keep pushing.
Trump has ordered Republicans to pass this package by June 1 and will undoubtedly turn up the heat to force his party to get in line. If we are going to stop this bill, Congress needs to feel overwhelming public pressure immediately.
Funneling billions into immigration enforcement and Trump’s vanity projects instead of the affordability crisis is a political choice. Congress can still choose differently, we know because we’ve succeeded at pushing lawmakers to change course before. But it only worked because we spoke out, together.
Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team- Punchbowl News, “Trump’s ballroom security money is in trouble”
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