Senate Republicans abruptly canceled plans to start voting this week on a $70 billion budget reconciliation package aimed at funding immigration enforcement through 2029, as a bitter internal battle erupted over the Trump administration's push to create a $1.8 billion legal compensation fund for MAGA allies.
The decision came after a lengthy closed-door meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who defended the so-called anti-weaponization fund. Multiple GOP senators emerged saying the package is now unlikely to move before the Memorial Day recess, with no vote expected until at least June.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a vocal critic of the fund, confirmed the delay. “There will not be a vote today,” he said, underscoring the deep divisions. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also acknowledged the timeline has slipped and raised alarms about the fund potentially compensating individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. “I don’t want any people who assaulted Capitol police officers on that day to receive compensation,” Britt stated.
Republican lawmakers remain split on several fronts. Beyond the compensation fund, they are feuding over whether to include Secret Service funding, amid controversy that the money could be used to construct a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House for President Trump. A senior Senate GOP aide confirmed that votes are off the table for this week.
The gridlock has alarmed House GOP leaders, who were already worried about the reconciliation timeline slipping. With pre-planned weddings, graduations, and other events thinning attendance, House Republicans would need near-unanimous support to pass the bill. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had been scheduled to discuss the package with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, but that meeting was scrapped as the Senate moved to adjourn without action.
The anti-weaponization fund has drawn sharp criticism even from within the GOP. Some lawmakers fear it could become a slush fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by the Biden-era Justice Department. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has already sought a payout, and Trump ally Corey Caputo was the first to tap the fund. Meanwhile, a lawsuit from January 6 Capitol police officers is challenging the fund's legality.
Senators are expected to leave Washington by the end of this week for the Memorial Day break and will not return until June 1. The delay casts further uncertainty on the broader Republican agenda, as the party struggles to unite around a signature legislative package. With internal fissures deepening, the path forward for both the immigration funding and the compensation fund remains murky.
For more on the controversy, see our coverage of MyPillow CEO Lindell's request for a payout and Caputo's initial claim. Also read about the GOP split over funding for Trump's ballroom security.
