Inside Trump’s $1.5T Bill: Migrant Fees, Pentagon Bump, Tax Delays

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Inside Trump’s $1.5T Bill: Migrant Fees, Pentagon Bump, Tax Delays/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump’s sweeping legislative package — packed with immigration crackdowns, massive defense spending, and proposed tax cuts — is moving through the House but facing internal GOP friction and delays. With Memorial Day as the goal, key provisions remain under debate.

FILE – Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks to reporters just after House Republicans narrowly approved their budget framework, at the Capitol in Washington, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Trump’s Big Bill: Quick Looks

Border Crackdown: $69B for Homeland Security; 1 million deportations planned annually
Immigration Fees: Asylum seekers would pay $1,000; sponsors of children fined
Defense Buildup: $150B in new Pentagon spending, including $25B for missile defense
Student Loan Overhaul: Simplified repayment, reduced forgiveness, $330B in cuts
Federal Worker Pensions Targeted: $50B in savings by requiring higher contributions
Energy Expansion: Public lands opened for more drilling, coal leases increase
Tax Cuts Delayed: Ways and Means still working on final framework
Legislative Progress: 11 committees involved; half have completed drafts
Democratic Opposition: Hakeem Jeffries calls it “extreme Republican agenda”
Senate Timeline: Final passage target is July 4

Inside Trump’s $1.5T Bill: Migrant Fees, Pentagon Bump, Tax Delays

Deep Look

President Donald Trump’s expansive legislative package — a centerpiece of his second-term agenda — is winding through Congress, combining border enforcement, military buildup, entitlement cuts, and delayed tax relief into one mega-bill that Republicans hope to pass before the summer.

While House committees have advanced portions of the legislation, GOP leaders admit it’s been “bumpy,” with some high-stakes provisions still under development, including the core tax cut package.

“This is the bill that reshapes America,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, who remains hopeful it will pass the House before Memorial Day.

Immigration and Border Security: Fees and Force

The largest completed portion of the bill centers on immigration enforcement. The Homeland Security Committee’s legislation provides $69 billion, including $46.5 billion for resuming construction of the border wall, hiring 20,000+ new agents and officers, and expanding detention facilities to hold up to 100,000 migrants.

Notably, the Judiciary Committee added unprecedented fees, such as:

$1,000 for asylum applications
$3,500 for sponsors of unaccompanied minors
$2,500 penalties for missed court dates

The goal is to deport 1 million immigrants annually, making it the most aggressive federal deportation plan in U.S. history.

Pentagon Boost and ‘Golden Dome’

The House Armed Services Committee’s version of the defense bill exceeds Trump’s $100B ask with $150 billion in military and national security funding.

It includes:

$25B for Trump’s “Golden Dome for America,” a missile defense shield
$34B for shipbuilding to expand the Navy fleet
$21B to replenish ammunition supplies
$9B for housing, pay, and quality of life improvements for troops

This surge also includes $5B earmarked for military involvement in border security.

Student Loan Cuts and Simplified Repayment

The Education and Workforce Committee is advancing a $330 billion rollback of federal student loan subsidies.

Key provisions:

Replaces all current repayment plans with two options
Income-driven repayment offers less generous terms
Forgiveness kicks in after 30 years instead of 20-25
Repeals Biden-era borrower protection rules related to school closures and fraud

New plans would launch July 2026, affecting millions of current and future borrowers.

Cuts to Federal Worker Retirement

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee has approved $50.9 billion in federal workforce retirement savings.

Changes include:

Older workers must contribute 4.4% of salary, up from lower historical rates
Retirement payouts based on top 5 earning years instead of top 3
Elimination of Social Security bridge payments for early retirees

Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH) broke ranks, warning the change “penalizes people mid-career.”

Democrats argue the cuts would shrink take-home pay for many middle-class federal workers.

Public Lands: Drilling, Mining, and Logging Expansion

The Natural Resources Committee will soon finalize a bill to dramatically expand fossil fuel and mineral extraction on federal lands.

Provisions include:

Royalty rates cut to 12.5% for oil/gas and 7% for coal
Oil lease sales in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
6,250 square miles opened for coal leasing (bigger than Connecticut)
Streamlined permitting for mining and logging projects

Republicans argue this will offset revenue losses with growth; critics warn of climate impacts and tepid industry interest.

Tax Cuts Still MIA

Despite Trump’s branding, the tax cut portion remains unwritten, with the Ways and Means Committee still hashing out details.

Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) acknowledged the slow pace, but said tax relief would still come.

The challenge? Republicans want to extend 2017 tax cuts while avoiding revenue losses, amid internal division over whether corporate cuts or middle-class relief should take priority.

Path to Passage

With half of the House committees finished, the next step is to assemble the bill in the Budget Committee, then move it to the House floor. The Senate is preparing its own version, with hopes for reconciliation before July 4.

Democrats are united in opposition, warning of deep cuts to healthcare and food assistance while expanding the deficit through military spending.