Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) have balked at the billions of dollars included for refugee funding in one of the nine appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026.

The appropriations bill for the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contains $5.69 billion in funding for refugee assistance services, which is three times higher than it was prior to President Joe Biden’s time in office.

Paul, the chair of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, said, “The big spenders in Congress are back in DC, hoping to pass a bill that spends billions on refugee benefits despite widespread reports of fraud. I will be introducing an amendment to block this funding. Congress is not doing enough to protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Paul wrote, “Watch as so-called ‘allies’ of the President vote for continuing billions for refugees. I will vote no and I’ve introduced legislation to end ALL welfare for ALL immigrants, including refugees.”

Lee wrote, “New Year’s resolution: stop nonsense like this, pass my SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship to vote, and codify the MAGA agenda — especially on immigration and enforcement. If the Senate follows these weeks of righteous outrage by undermining our own country, we do not deserve to govern.”

The roughly $6 billion that Congress is trying to appropriate for refugee resettlement undermines the Trump administration’s work to limit noncitizen access to American welfare programs.

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