Senate punts immigration enforcement vote over ‘anti-weaponization’ fund outrage

The Senate will not vote on billions in immigration enforcement money until after the Memorial Day recess, a dramatic shift in plans fueled by Republican discomfort over the Justice Department’s new “anti-weaponization” fund.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told Republicans on Thursday that a vote on the $70 billion in enforcement money had been canceled, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The tentative plan had been to start a marathon session of votes later that day, but the conference punted after a meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that lasted more than two hours. Leaving the meeting, Republican senators told reporters that no votes would be held that day.

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