# Trump Cuts $810M Without Congress — Even Republicans Object

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-cuts-810m-without-congress-even-republicans-object
- Published: 2026-09-29T01:12:08.126334+00:00
- Topics: impoundment-control-act, federal-spending, immigration-policy, congress, trump-administration

## What the left says
- The rescission strips funding from refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and minority-focused programs, disproportionately harming vulnerable populations who rely on congressionally mandated services.
- Using a 'pocket rescission' timed to the fiscal year's end deliberately evades the 45-day congressional review process required by law, making it an end-run around the Impoundment Control Act rather than a legitimate budget tool.
- This is the second consecutive year the administration has used this maneuver, establishing a pattern of executive overreach that erodes Congress's constitutional power of the purse regardless of which party controls the White House.
- The White House's characterization of programs as 'ideological' or 'wasteful' -- including LGBT support services and diversity initiatives -- reflects a political attack on programs serving marginalized communities rather than genuine fiscal responsibility.

## What the right says
- Border crossings have dropped significantly under Trump's policies, making many of these refugee and asylum-services accounts unnecessary and freeing taxpayer money for better uses.
- Some of the targeted funding went to organizations facing serious allegations, including a Justice Department lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs over claims of abuse of unaccompanied minors.
- Programs like an 'LGBT youth summit,' 'Therapy for Latinx' workshops, and other identity-focused grants represent exactly the kind of ideological spending taxpayers should not be forced to fund.
- The President is using a legally recognized budgetary tool that the Supreme Court has already allowed to proceed in a similar case, giving the administration confidence this rescission rests on sound legal footing.

## Common ground
- The rescission totals $810 million (sometimes rounded to over $800 million) in previously appropriated federal funds.
- Republican Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, publicly objected and called the move a violation of Congress's constitutional spending authority.
- The largest single piece of the cuts, $567 million, comes from Health and Human Services accounts tied to refugee and non-citizen services.
- The legality of pocket rescissions remains unresolved, with the Supreme Court explicitly stating its prior ruling was not a final determination on the merits.

## Sources
- [ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Politics/white-house-orders-800m-funds-rescinded-collins-calls/story?id=136772703) (Lean Left)
- [AllSides](https://www.allsides.com/news/2026-09-28-0700/donald-trump-what-know-about-810-million-spending-canceled-president-trump) (Center)
- [Daily Caller](https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/26/trump-pocket-rescission-cancels-810-million-congress-funding) (Right)
- [Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-claws-back-810-million-going-to-left-wing-passion-projects) (Right)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-rescissions-congress_n_6ab72898e4b0d1543f5449fd) (Left)
- [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/lawmakers-slam-trumps-unlawful-move-cut-810-million-federal-funds-rcna599942) (Lean Left)

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