President Donald Trump has canceled nearly $1 billion in spending that Congress had approved, the White House announced on Friday. The administration is using a rarely invoked and contested power to eliminate funding for immigrant services and diversity‑focused initiatives.
The Office of Management and Budget described the cuts as targeting “the most harmful government spending.”
Most of the reductions affect programs aiding immigrants, including non‑profits that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors who are in the country unlawfully. Officials argue the funds are no longer needed because illegal border crossings have fallen sharply.
A White House press release noted that some of the affected organizations are led by former officials from the Obama administration.
The move was condemned by Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine who chairs the Senate appropriations committee and is facing a competitive re‑election campaign. Collins said the action was taken without warning or consultation and that she would work with colleagues to address “these illegal actions.”
“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress’s appropriations powers,” Collins said. “OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.”
“This is theft from the American people, plain and simple,” said Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and vice‑chair of the appropriations committee. “These are funds Congress has delivered on a bipartisan basis and should be helping people – not cut off by a president more focused on building a ballroom than investing in families. Every Republican who voted for these bills should be furious, because [Russell] Vought is saying their votes don’t count.”
Normally, Congress reviews presidential spending cuts before they take effect. However, Trump announced the rescissions just five days before the end of the federal fiscal year, making congressional review nearly impossible. The Government Accountability Office has declared this maneuver, known as a “pocket rescission,” illegal.
Collins called it the latest effort by OMB to “undermine Congress’s constitutional power of the purse.”
A year ago, Trump used a pocket rescission for the first time in 50 years, blocking $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. The Supreme Court declined to intervene, citing presidential authority over foreign affairs. This year, the targeted spending is domestic.
The administration’s use of pocket rescissions fits a broader pattern of asserting greater control over the U.S. government, eroding congressional authority. Other actions include firing federal workers, imposing historic tariffs, and initiating a war with Iran without congressional approval, leaving the judiciary to determine the limits of presidential power.