Johnson hits mounting roadblocks in race to reopen DHS

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team were already laboring to adopt a budget blueprint this week to fund immigration enforcement in the face of internal pressure to pile a host of unrelated proposals — including tougher election rules — into the package. Their efforts to unify the GOP conference have become even tougher in the wake of Saturday’s shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, as a number of Republicans are now clamoring for yet another provision to be attached: authorizing Trump to build his White House ballroom. “Any consideration of DHS reconciliation instructions this week & beyond should provide for construction of a secure ballroom on White House grounds — in addition to other concerns being addressed regarding ICE/CBP, SAVE America, Transgender & Abortion funding, Recon 3, & more,” Rep.