White House orders cancelation of nearly $1B in approved spending; critics call the move ‘illegal’, tell me about this news in (https://www.kmvt.com/2026/09/26/white-house-orders-cancelation-nearly-1b-approved-spending-critics-call-move-illegal/)

The White House announced the cancellation of nearly $1 billion in spending previously approved by Congress, utilizing a rare and controversial budget mechanism known as a “pocket rescission.”

The cuts target programs that do not align with the administration’s policy priorities, including $567 million for services for refugees, asylees, and other migrants through the Department of Health and Human Services, along with additional funding for immigrant aid, diversity-related initiatives, and international education grants. The administration defended the move as a necessary measure to eliminate wasteful spending that does not benefit American taxpayers.

The action drew immediate and sharp bipartisan criticism. Critics and lawmakersincluding Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins and House Budget Committee ranking member Brendan Boyledenounced the maneuver as an unlawful circumvention of Congress’s constitutional power of the purse. Opponents noted that the Government Accountability Office has previously deemed pocket rescissions illegal under the Impoundment Control Act, setting the stage for potential legal challenges.