Donald Trump is seeking a huge win in Congress. He needs to close the deal fast.
And President Trump’s personal advisor has just held an emergency meeting with U.S. Senators.
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Sparks Heated Debate Over Border Security Funding
The push for President Donald Trump’s ambitious legislative package, often referred to as the “big, beautiful bill,” has ignited intense discussions among Senate Republicans, with top White House adviser Stephen Miller leading efforts to secure substantial funding for immigration enforcement. On Thursday, Miller met with Senate Republicans to advocate for a robust influx of cash to bolster border security, a cornerstone of the administration’s agenda. His presentation aimed to unify the conference, which faces internal divisions over the scale of financial commitment to border-related initiatives.
The Senate is grappling with competing visions for the bill’s border security provisions. Sen. Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and Sen. Rand Paul, who heads the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, are poised to unveil contrasting proposals on the funding levels for border security activities and infrastructure. Paul, whose committee holds jurisdiction over this segment of the GOP’s tax and spending package, has expressed support for reducing the tens of billions allocated in the House-passed version of the legislation, signaling a more restrained approach.
Sen. Ron Johnson, a pivotal figure in the negotiations, has voiced concerns about the lack of transparency in the administration’s initial funding requests. “There was previously ‘frustration’ among some members about the lack of clarity around the administration’s justification for requesting a certain dollar amount be met for border security efforts,” Johnson said, noting that senators sought “some basic numbers because they weren’t quite adding up.”
The budget resolution guiding the mega-bill’s development in the Senate authorizes up to $175 billion, with the lion’s share earmarked for border security. Border funding is a Trump admin priority that has drawn both support and scrutiny.
Following Miller’s briefing, Johnson appeared more receptive to the administration’s pitch, though he acknowledged uncertainties about the final costs. “I don’t think we’re gonna move the number up, but we’re not going to shortchange it … This is a mess we have to clean up,” he said. His comments suggest a willingness to back substantial funding, provided the administration’s rationale holds up under scrutiny.
Miller, a key architect of Trump’s immigration policies, has been vocal in defending the proposed funding levels. In a post on X, he sharply criticized Paul’s suggestions to scale back spending, stating that such moves would “eviscerate the border and deportation provisions” and amount to a “betrayal of the Americans who elected President Trump.”
Paul, known for his fiscal conservatism, has taken a defiant stance. Having voted against the budget framework earlier this year, he skipped Miller’s meeting, signaling his reluctance to engage directly with the White House adviser. “I am trying very hard to not have any conversations with him,” Paul told reporters, criticizing Miller’s openness to suspending habeas corpus, saying it “should preclude [him] from holding high office or being an adviser to anyone in high office.” Paul’s absence from the discussion highlights the deep divisions within the Senate GOP.
The Senate’s deliberations come as the House-passed bill, which includes significant border security funding, sets a high bar for negotiations. If the Senate aligns closely with the House’s spending levels, it would provide an unprecedented surge of resources for Trump’s aggressive immigration and deportation agenda. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, also lobbied Senate Republicans on Wednesday, reinforcing the administration’s push for additional resources.
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain has cautioned her Senate counterparts against making sweeping changes to the House-passed bill. “Touch very lightly,” she warned, emphasizing the need to avoid a prolonged conference process. Senate Republicans, however, are intent on leaving their mark on the bill. “Change it 10%, but I think 30% is a lot,” McClain told Axios, responding to Sen. Ted Cruz’s suggestion that the Senate might preserve only 60% or 70% of the House’s text. The potential for significant alterations raises concerns about the feasibility of reconciling the two chambers’ versions without triggering a conference.
“I realize the Senate has to put their fingerprints on it,” McClain acknowledged, but reiterated her call for minimal changes. Her comments highlight the delicate balance Senate Republicans must strike to assert their influence while avoiding a clash with the House, where patience for extensive revisions is thin.
Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo outlined his proposed changes to the bill on Wednesday, focusing on adjustments to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, making business tax cuts permanent, and revising renewable energy tax credits. These modifications, alongside potential tweaks to border security funding, indicate the Senate’s intent to reshape key components of the legislation.
Substantial Senate changes could force Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader John Thune into a conference to resolve differences in July, with the looming threat of a debt default complicating negotiations. “I really don’t think there’s a huge appetite to go to conference because of the timing,” McClain noted, underscoring the urgency of reaching a consensus swiftly.
The debate over the “big beautiful bill” encapsulates broader tensions within the Republican Party, pitting fiscal conservatives against those prioritizing Trump’s immigration agenda. As senators weigh the costs and implications of the proposed funding, the outcome will shape the administration’s ability to execute its border security policies.
The coming weeks will test the GOP’s ability to navigate these internal fault lines while advancing Trump’s legislative vision. With Miller and Homan actively lobbying, and senators like Graham, Paul, and Johnson staking out their positions, the path to passing the megabill remains fraught with challenges.
