HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — A $9 billion spending cut package that President Donald Trump is pushing includes taking funds away from migrant and refugee services.
On Wednesday, the Senate appeared to have enough votes, The Hill reported, to pass the spending cuts, which would give Trump another big legislative victory following passage of his recent budget bill signed on Independence Day.
On May 28, Trump wrote a letter to Congress supporting the cuts, called rescissions, which were suggested by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.
Originally $9.4 million in spending cuts had been proposed but the White House agreed to exempt a $400 million program that provides AIDS relief.
If approved, Vought says the remaining cuts would claw back funds approved for this fiscal year as well as past fiscal years.
Vought wrote in a letter to Trump that the 22 programs identified for spending cuts are “wasteful and unnecessary spending that is no longer needed for the purposes for which they were appropriated,” according to the letter.
Included is rescinding $800 million of the $3.2 billion appropriated in Fiscal Year 2025 for Migration and Refugee Assistance within the State Department.
The monies have been used to fund the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and provides overseas humanitarian assistance through the State Department, according to the letter.
“These funds support activities that could be more fairly shared with non-U.S. government donors, providing
savings to the U.S. taxpayer,” Vought wrote.
If approved, only funds for “programs that are life-saving or have a clear, direct nexus to U.S. national interests, like repatriations,” will be allowed Vought says.
He says that he believes the funding could be made up by donors who he writes could “do more to respond to humanitarian crises.”
The faith-based nonprofit group World Relief, on Wednesday issued a statement praising the White House exempting $400 million in proposed cuts to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from the package saying it is “saving vital lifesaving support.”
World Relief says that program has saved over 26 million lives worldwide by providing HIV treatment, prevention and care.
However, the organization opposes other programs slated for funding cuts, like the refugee program.
“We remain alarmed by some of the other cuts to lifesaving humanitarian assistance still included in this rescissions package and urge the Congress and White House to protect America’s tradition of generosity to people facing great crises,” Emily Chambers-Sharpe, director of Health and Nutrition for World Relief’s International Programs said in a statement.
“Further reductions in assistance to refugees and others who have been forcibly displaced from their homes could leave many vulnerable families, including those fleeing persecution on account of their faith, without support,” the organization said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) hails the bill as a key piece of Trump’s legislative agenda and an important “down payment” on reducing the size of the federal government and $36 trillion debt, The Hill reports.
The package includes $1.07 million in cuts for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as several cuts to the now shuttered U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) these cuts:
- $2.5 billion for Development Assistance that helped to end extreme poverty in countries under the Agency for International Development (USAID). Trump ordered all freezing of foreign aid to this organization.
- $1.7 billion from the Economic Support Fund to help other countries as part of international assistance programs.
- $500 million from Global Health Programs for the USAID.
- $496 million from the International Disaster Assistance account that provided humanitarian assistance globally.
- $460 million for assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia for International Assistance Programs.
- $437 million, the entire amount this fiscal year, for International Organizations and Programs for the United Nations.
- $361 million from the International Peacekeeping Activities at the State Department.
- $201 million from the International Organizations and Conference at the Department of State
- $125 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
- $125 million from the Contribution to Clean Technology Fund that invests in Green New Deal projects in developing countries.
- $83 million from the State Department’s Democracy Fund that promoted democratic activities.
- $43 million from the Complex Crisis Fund that provides assistance to fragile countries in crisis.
- $22 million from the African Development Foundation.
- $15 million from the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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