Trump rescinds nearly $1B in federal funding, bypassing congressional approval

President Trump cancelled almost $1 billion in federal funding Friday using the controversial “pocket rescission” process, which allows him to sidestep congressional approval.

Most of the cancellations targeted Health and Human Services (HHS) programs serving undocumented immigrants and unaccompanied children in court, as well as similar initiatives under the agency’s Minority Health office and the Department of Education’s Special Programs for Migrant Students.

“These funds previously went to pro-illegal immigration programs and Non-Governmental Organizations that provided services to refugees, asylees, and other non-citizens and put unaccompanied children in harm’s way ,” the White House wrote in a press release .

The release continued, “Thanks to President Trump’s successful border policies, the illegal alien invasion is over and there are fewer people crossing our border than ever before.”

The White House went on to say the decrease in border crossings meant funding toward these programs became excessive, warranting their recission

Other cuts aligned with Trump’s anti-DEI agenda — with the president rescinding funds for HHS gender-affirming care research, minority business development and the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Services, which the White House said promoted identity-conscious law enforcement practices. The administration described these initiatives as “wasteful and harmful.”

The president canceled the $810 million in federal funds through a pocket recession, which “occurs when a president asks Congress to rescind (or cancel) funds very close to the end of the fiscal year—so close that the funds expire before they can be used for new obligations,” according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office .

In response to Trump’s cancellations, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Appropriations Committee, called the move — and his use of the recission process — “unlawful.” She also called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to spend all of the $1.3 billion appropriated from fiscal 2025 as intended.

“This move shows that OMB intentionally withheld these funds for months to execute this unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law,” Collins wrote on social media. “OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.”

The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) lays out rules governing the rescissions process. It allows the administration to temporarily withhold funding for 45 days while Congress considers the rescissions request. If lawmakers opt not to approve the request, the funds must be released.

A pocket rescission occurs when the president sends the same type of request to Congress within 45 days of the end of the fiscal year. Because the request is so late, the funding is essentially paused until it runs out at the end of the year regardless of congressional action.

Collins emphasized that the GAO has already concluded that pocket rescissions are unlawful under the ICA.

“Any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law,” she continued.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, echoed Collins — similarly condemned Trump’s use of the pocket rescission in a statement. He slammed the president, as well as OMB Director Russell Vought, for the decision, saying they “violated the law by sending Congress more illegal pocket rescissions in the dark of night.”

“The law is not a suggestion, and the President is not a king,” he concluded.

Trump last used the tactic in 2025 to unilaterally cut roughly $5 billion in congressionally approved funding. The Supreme Court agreed at the time to allow the Trump administration to keep the money that was set to expire the next week.