The Senate on Wednesday moved forward with a measure to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol after the Trump administration dropped plans for an “anti-weaponization fund” that drew scrutiny from lawmakers.Republicans introduced the reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement without Democratic support after a record-breaking shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ended without the chamber approving such funding through normal channels.
The chamber voted 53-46 on Wednesday to begin debate, marking a procedural step toward approving the final bill, The Hill reported.
Holding up the process were bipartisan concerns over the proposed $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” that the DOJ announced to benefit the victims of alleged political weaponization under the prior administration.
The fund was created as part of a settlement to end President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns by contractor Charles Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty.
But lawmakers expressed concerns that the fund could be used to reward Trump allies and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche this week confirmed that it had abandoned plans for the fund.
Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.
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