Senate Republicans Push for Big Spending Boost for Border Agencies and Secret Service

Lawmakers are pushing a nearly $72 billion funding plan that would send over $1 billion to the Secret Service and other agencies. The plan includes money for upgrades, though it’s unclear how much will go toward a new White House ballroom. President Trump has said private donors would cover the $400 million ballroom cost, but the bill doesn’t spell that out. The funding package also covers Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through 2029, with billions set aside for personnel and investigations. The push comes just months after a government shutdown ended in late February. That shutdown lasted 76 days over disagreements on immigration enforcement. Now, Republicans are using a fast-track process called reconciliation to bypass the usual 60-vote requirement in the Senate. This lets them move forward without needing Democratic support. The move follows a security incident at last month’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where an alleged gunman was arrested before Trump’s speech.Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican leader, has framed the bills as necessary for law enforcement. He criticized Democrats, calling them "the party of open borders and ‘defund the police. ’" His comments came as part of a push to fund ICE and CBP while speeding up construction projects. Meanwhile, Democrats argue the bills ignore economic struggles caused by recent policies. Senator Dick Durbin, a top Democrat, criticized the focus on expensive projects like the ballroom while Americans face rising costs. The funding debate highlights a broader fight over immigration and border security. Republicans say the bills will bring stability to federal agencies. Democrats, though, see it as an election-year tactic to push unpopular policies before midterms. The bills cover a wide range of spending, from border technology to investigations by ICE. But critics question whether the money aligns with public priorities.