Republicans cancel votes amid fight over Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

BREAKING NEWSMay. 21, 2026, 6:10 PM UTCCongressCongressRepublicans cancel votes amid fight over Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fundThe Senate had planned to vote on a bill to fund ICE and border patrol through the end of Trump’s term but scuttled it after the president sought to add $1.8 billion for the DOJ fund.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Donald Trump speaks to members of the media near the ballroom construction site at the White House on May 19. Samuel Corum / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Frank Thorp V, Brennan Leach and Scott WongWASHINGTON — Objections to the Trump administration’s controversial anti-weaponization fund prompted Senate Republican leaders on Thursday to punt a vote on a GOP package to fund ICE and Border Patrol until June, two GOP sources familiar with the discussions told NBC News.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had aimed to get the reconciliation package through the Senate and onto the House before the Memorial Day holiday. But GOP senators emerged from a closed-door briefing with top Justice Department officials about the weaponization fund with more questions than answers, and it became clear that Republicans did not have consensus on moving forward.The Justice Department has said it plans to make $1.776 billion in taxpayer money available for the fund. Given Democratic opposition, the only method of passing that through Congress would be to add it to the immigration “reconciliation” package, which can pass with only Republican votes.“I think the administration is putting itself in a bad spot,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said after the private briefing.The briefing lasted over an hour and half, and Republicans came out tight-lipped and appeared frustrated, saying they are working on how they could put guardrails on the anti-weaponization fund.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.,...