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The bill allocates $75 billion to ICE and border operations, $45 billion to detain immigrants (including minors), and $69 billion for border wall construction. The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved President Trump’s controversial $1.3 trillion fiscal package, with a 218-214 vote after intense overnight negotiations. The bill redistributes wealth toward billionaires while cutting food aid for 5 million vulnerable Americans and stripping healthcare from 12 million.

House Speaker Mike Johnson faced a Republican rebellion, led by the conservative Freedom Caucus, which demanded guarantees on future amendments. A procedural vote was extended for hours as leaders negotiated with holdouts. Trump personally intervened, holding urgent meetings with dissenting lawmakers.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries staged a historic 8-hour, 44-minute filibuster to protest the bill, setting a new House record. Despite his efforts, the legislation passed, marking a key political victory for Trump ahead of his self-imposed July 4 deadline.

The bill makes Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent and adds new breaks, eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits. However, it slashes food assistance for nearly 5 million people and reduces elder care services, disproportionately impacting low-income families.

Medicaid reforms impose work requirements and cut federal cost-sharing, projected to leave 12 million uninsured over the next decade. Meanwhile, the plan adds $3.25 trillion to the national debt while granting $1.3 trillion in tax cuts to billionaires.

It allocates $75 billion to ICE and border operations, $45 billion to detain immigrants (including minors), and $69 billion for border wall construction. The bill also eases regulations on firearm silencers, drawing criticism from public safety advocates.

A temporary raise of the state/local tax deduction cap to $40,000 (reverting to $10,000 after five years) was included, along with a $5 trillion debt ceiling increase. Johnson hinted at a second reconciliation package later in 2025, signaling a broader fiscal strategy.

Only two Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill. Trump plans to sign it by July 4, enacting one of the most polarizing fiscal overhauls in recent U.S. history. The White House claims deficit reduction, but critics dismiss these projections as unfounded.

Former US President Joe Biden denounces Donald Trump’s newly approved tax bill, criticizing its massive giveaways to the wealthy and devastating cuts to essential social programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and food assistance.

Former President Joe Biden sharply criticized the recent approval of Donald Trump’s flagship tax legislation, calling it “reckless and cruel” for delivering enormous tax breaks to billionaires while slashing vital programs that support working-class and vulnerable Americans. Biden’s condemnation echoes widespread left-wing outrage across the Americas, where progressive voices warn that the bill deepens inequality and threatens the social safety net.

At the heart of the controversy is the bill’s massive tax giveaway to the richest Americans. Analyses from left-leaning policy groups show that while all income brackets receive some tax relief, approximately 60% of the benefits flow to the top 20% of earners, with the wealthiest gaining tens of thousands of dollars annually. Meanwhile, low-income households see only minimal tax cuts, and many will actually lose ground once cuts to social programs are factored in.

The bill enacts deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs like SNAP, which millions of low-income families, seniors, and veterans depend on. According to the Congressional Budget Office, these reductions could result in millions fewer Americans having health insurance and receiving food aid. The legislation also threatens Medicare by proposing spending caps that could lead to significant cuts in the near future.

Furthermore, the bill includes increased spending on defense and border enforcement, including billions for expanding the border wall and hiring additional immigration agents, reflecting a hardline immigration stance that many progressives vehemently oppose.

Economic and Social Consequences: Rising Debt and Costs for the Majority

The Congressional Budget Office warns that the bill will add over $3 trillion to the national debt in the coming decade, exacerbating an already precarious fiscal situation. This growing debt burden is expected to drive up interest rates, making everyday expenses like mortgages, car loans, and credit card payments more expensive for average Americans.

Critics also highlight that the bill’s tax policies disproportionately favor states with low or no state income tax, such as Texas and Wyoming, while imposing caps on state and local tax deductions (SALT) that hurt residents of higher-tax states. This uneven treatment further entrenches regional and economic inequalities.

Prominent left-wing figures and organizations across Latin America and the US have denounced the bill. Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries staged historic, marathon speeches to oppose the legislation, framing it as an attack on “children, seniors, veterans, unions, farmers, Dreamers, the working class, and the poor.”

Elon Musk, once a Trump ally, has also criticized the bill for its regressive tax cuts and for eliminating incentives for clean energy, calling it “political suicide” for Republicans.

The “Big and Beautiful” tax bill represents a stark choice between the interests of the ultra-wealthy and the needs of working people. As Biden and progressive voices warn, the legislation’s combination of massive tax breaks for billionaires, cuts to essential social programs, and increased militarization of the border threatens to deepen social inequality and undermine the fragile economic security of millions of Americans. The fight against this bill is part of a broader struggle for social justice and economic democracy in the Americas.

The BBC has announced that it will no longer broadcast or livestream performances deemed ‘high risk’. The British public broadcaster faced backlash after airing a set by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury Festival, during which the group chanted against the Israeli military.

The group’s lead vocalist encouraged the crowd to chant “Death, death to the IDF” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free” during the performance last weekend. Videos circulating on social media show the crowd echoing the chants, with some waving Palestinian flags.

“We deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC and want to apologise to our viewers, listeners, and in particular the Jewish community,” the broadcaster said in a statement released on Thursday.

The BBC noted that the band was classified as ‘high risk’ ahead of the festival, along with six other acts, but was still permitted to perform with “appropriate mitigations.” The company admitted to “errors” in the compliance processes and confirmed that Bob Vylan’s set has been permanently removed from BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

The outlet pledged to provide on-site editorial policy support at major music festivals and events moving forward. It also announced plans to issue clearer guidance on the criteria for withdrawing a livestream.