Senate advances GOP immigration funding bill

Senate Republicans pushed forward Wednesday with a sweeping immigration funding package after party leaders removed money tied to President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom and sought to calm internal objections over a disputed Justice Department fund.

The Senate voted 53 to 46 along party lines to proceed to the reconciliation bill, which would fund immigration agencies including ICE, Border Patrol and other Department of Homeland Security operations through fiscal year 2029. The vote sets up a marathon amendment process known as a “vote-a-rama,” with final action expected after Democrats have a chance to force a series of votes.

Republicans are using the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to avoid the 60-vote threshold required for most Senate legislation. Democrats have opposed the immigration enforcement funding and are expected to offer numerous amendments.

A revised version of part of the package released Wednesday dropped language that would have provided $1 billion in security funding for the Secret Service, including money connected to Trump’s East Wing renovation, where he plans to build a large ballroom. The provision had drawn scrutiny from several Republican senators, and GOP leaders abandoned it before the floor vote.

The bill had also been stalled by Republican concerns over a Justice Department “anti-weaponization” fund. The program was designed to provide taxpayer-funded payouts to people who alleged the federal government had been “weaponized” against them. NBC News described the fund as totaling $1.8 billion, while Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina referred to it as a $1.776 billion fund.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House committee Tuesday that the administration was not moving ahead with the program. “We are not moving forward with the fund,” Blanche testified.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Blanche’s public testimony helped reassure Republican senators, though Blanche did not put the commitment in writing. “Most of our members feel pretty satisfied,” Thune said, adding, “His comments were extremely helpful. Whether they are enough for some of our members, we’ll find out.”

Some Republicans remained unconvinced. Tillis said he would offer an amendment to eliminate the possibility that the fund could return.

“I think even DOJ knows that this was a bad idea and what we need to do is provide finality,” Tillis said. “They’ve said that they’ve quiesced the program, then why can’t we just take the step of statutorily eliminating the question, so that a future decision to reopen it is eliminated?”

Tillis also warned colleagues about defending the proposal politically. “When you’re explaining, you’re losing,” he told reporters. “There’s no way to explain the $1.776 [billion] fund. So, the only way you can explain it is explain that you got rid of it. It’s that simple.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she had spoken with Tillis about barring the administration from reviving the fund. “I’m in the camp that wants to see it dead, dead, dead,” she said.

Trump, however, did not say the fund was fully abandoned when asked about it after the Senate vote. He told reporters at the White House he would “have to ask the lawyers.” He added, “The weaponization fund, as far as I’m concerned, was a beautiful thing. I thought that was the greatest thing, because people like you have abused our people so badly.”

Democrats plan to target the fund during the amendment process. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier this week, “No matter what Republicans do, we will force them to vote.” NBC News reported that Schumer also vowed to seek votes to block a settlement with the IRS under Trump’s administration that includes audit immunity on his taxes.

“I will personally push to permanently ban both the slush fund and the blank check Trump cut to himself and his family that would allow them to cheat on their taxes when this Republican reconciliation bill comes to the floor,” Schumer said.

Thune said Republicans were prepared for the fight. “We feel good going into it,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of conversations with our members and understand what’s at stake and how critical it is that we defeat amendments that would be corrosive to the bill.”