Senate Rejects Bid To Bar Trump's Settlement Fund During ICE Vote-A-Rama
Senators narrowly defeated an attempt to ban a roughly $1.776–1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund during a marathon reconciliation vote on a roughly $70 billion immigration-enforcement package.
Al JazeeraDemocrats force vote on Trump’s $1.8bn settlement fund in ‘vote-a-rama’
PBS NewsHourTrump's limits are tested after some Republicans push back
CBS NewsWatch Live: Senate holds "vote-a-rama" on ICE funding, rejects Democrats' move to ban DOJ fund
Daily SignalSenate Votes on Border Megabill: $70 Billion Immigration Debate
Overview
Senators narrowly rejected a Democratic amendment to ban the "anti-weaponization" fund in a 49-to-50 vote at the start of a marathon reconciliation "vote-a-rama."
The votes were part of a roughly $70 billion package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol pursued through the budget reconciliation process.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the administration would not move forward with the fund, while President Donald Trump said he did not know if it was dead and called it "a beautiful thing."
The fund was created under a settlement tied to a lawsuit against the IRS and is valued at roughly $1.776 to $1.8 billion, and a federal court has temporarily blocked any payouts.
The Senate planned to continue the amendment marathon and vote on the immigration-enforcement funding bill late Thursday, with passage hinging on Republican unity.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by highlighting partisan conflict and emphasizing Democratic labels ('slush fund') while foregrounding Republican defections under electoral pressure. Editorial choices—choice of charged quotes (Schumer's 'slush fund', Trump's 'beautiful thing'), selective emphasis on GOP trouble and vote counts—push a narrative of Republican instability and controversy over the fund.