Republicans Block Proposal to Bar ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund

Most Senate Republicans blocked barring the Justice Department from creating an “anti-weaponization” fund as voting began on an immigration-enforcement funding bill on Thursday.

The proposal failed 49-50 with Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Dan Sullivan (Alaska) and Jon Husted (Ohio) voting alongside all Democrats on the measure. It was the first vote in the Senate’s “vote-a-rama” following a two-week delay amid Senate Republican concerns over the proposed fund that was part of a lawsuit settlement between President Donald Trump and the IRS over his leaked tax returns.

The procedural vote was held open for more than three hours as Republicans who’ve been critical of the fund huddled with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republican Whip John Barrasso.

Many of those Republican holdouts are facing competitive 2026 reelection bids.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), who recently lost his primary after Trump endorsed another Republican, eventually sided with his party to block it — even after Husted and Sullivan voted with Democrats. The Louisianian also recently filed a brief in support of a federal case challenging the legality of the fund with Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey).

When asked how leadership got Cassidy on board, Barrasso told reporters that the Senate will now be voting on a second amendment pertaining to the fund.

Husted said after the vote, “We’re gonna get Homeland Security funded, and then we’re gonna move on.”

The Senate is expected to spend all day voting on the budget reconciliation package ahead of a final vote, which would require only a simple majority to adopt a $70 billion plan for increasing spending on border security and immigration enforcement. House Republican leaders have said they hope to pass the bill as soon as Friday.

Senate Republicans said they would support the bill after Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday that the DOJ would not move forward with the fund. However, on Wednesday, Trump told reporters at the White House he loves the fund and “thinks it’s so important,” a sign he still might push for it.

Thune said Thursday that Senate Republicans take Blanche as his word that the fund is not happening.

“The assumption we’re all working on right now is that it’s done,” Thune said. “Blanche committed to denying the fund public testimony, and he’s reiterated that to a number of our colleagues. So, that, to me, is a definitive statement.”

The proposal, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, would have sent the immigration enforcement bill back to the Senate Judiciary Committee with instructions to do away with the fund. It would have required a simple majority to pass.

Democrats argued it could have allowed payments to the rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Trump said ripping Americans off to give kickbacks to convicted criminals who beat police officers to death on Jan. 6 is a beautiful thing,” Schumer said on the floor ahead of the vote. “Trump’s slush fund is anything but beautiful. It’s heinous. And it won’t die until we permanently ban it by law.”

Several Republicans have indicated they will support other measures to restrict or do away with the fund. They said they did not back the opening amendment because it would have caused a delay by sending the entire package back to committee.

Senators in both parties are expected to bring forward additional amendments to get rid of the fund. However, Thune told reporters Thursday that he “thinks” many of those proposals will be subject to a 60-vote threshold.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North CarolinaN.C.) will offer an amendment that would propose the $1.8 billion, once marked to the fund, go toward tax fraud enforcement. He said Wednesday he would not support the final immigration enforcement bill if it did not include language to restrict the fund.

“I’m hoping to convince some Democrats to come over to the amendment,” Tillis said, noting he would need seven Democrats to reach the 60-vote threshold if all 53 Republicans are on board with it

Cassidy has also proposed an amendment to prohibit payments from the fund and to create a “Capitol defenders fund” for law enforcement officials present at the Capitol on Jan 6. Cassidy has been a vocal critic of the fund and voted to convict Trump over his actions surrounding Jan. 6.

Aside from dropping the anti-weaponization funding, the budget legislation does not include any funding for Trump’s proposed White House ballroom or security linked to it. Senators from both parties were frustrated with a proposal that would have provided hundreds of millions for the ballroom and associated security, despite Trump saying the East Wing addition would be paid for with private donations.