The Trump administration is moving to rescind nearly $1 billion in federal spending it describes as “wasteful” and harmful, with funding for immigrant and migrant services among the major targets in the latest White House spending-cut package.
President Donald Trump announced the latest “pocket rescission” package on September 25, saying the action would eliminate spending the administration considers wasteful or harmful and save taxpayer money. The White House said Trump is using authority under the Impoundment Control Act and described the move as a continuation of a similar action taken last year.
$567 million in immigrant and non-citizen services targeted
The largest portion of the package is $567 million in HHS funding for services to non-citizens. According to the White House, the funds supported programs and non-governmental organizations providing services to refugees, asylum seekers and other non-citizens.
Also read: US passport records in voter verification? Trump administration pushes new election data plan
The administration cited grants to organizations including Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Southwest Key Programs and Endeavors Inc. as examples of funding being rescinded.
{{/usCountry}}The administration cited grants to organizations including Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Southwest Key Programs and Endeavors Inc. as examples of funding being rescinded.
{{/usCountry}}The White House is also targeting $15 million in DHS funding for programs that provided legal services, mental-health services and cultural orientation to undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers and other non-citizens.
Another $10 million in DHS programs is included in the package. The administration said those programs provided funding to organizations offering legal services to undocumented immigrants and assistance related to the US immigration system.
Migrant student programs also face cuts
The spending package includes $25 million in Education Department funding for migrant students. The White House said the programs subsidized activities involving non-citizens and argued that the spending came at the expense of American workers and their children.
The administration's announcement specifically lists activities previously funded through these programs, including initiatives involving migrant students.
For immigrants and migrant families, the announcement puts federally funded services linked to legal assistance, education and other support under scrutiny. The White House has framed the cuts as part of a broader effort to redirect federal spending toward what it considers programs that directly benefit American citizens.
International education, foreign programs in wider cuts
The rescission package also extends beyond immigration-related spending. The White House identified $70 million in Education Department funding for international education, including grants and fellowships involving foreign students and faculty who come to the US to study, teach or conduct research.
Another $9 million is being targeted from a Treasury program involving debt relief for foreign countries. The administration said the program funded climate-related investments abroad and did not provide a direct benefit to US taxpayers.
Other spending identified in the package includes $56 million in HUD housing-counselling support for NGOs, $5 million from an HHS office focused on minority health and $28 million in HHS research programs.
The White House said the overall package represents nearly $1 billion in spending cuts aimed at what it describes as wasteful or harmful government programs.