WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) heads for the Senate Chamber in between votes at the U.S. Capitol on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Senate commenced a lengthy session of amendment votes on the $70 billion immigration enforcement legislation.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The Senate approved a $70 billion immigration enforcement package early Friday morning, which contains no provisions to curb the administration's so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
The immigration enforcement bill passed with a 52-47 vote count.
Senator Lisa Murkowski was the sole Republican to align with all Democrats in voting against the measure. All other Senate Republicans cast votes in favor, providing the legislation with sufficient backing for its narrow approval. Republicans applauded as the bill was finalized early Friday morning.
The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives, where it is anticipated to be taken up for consideration next week.
The Senate is transmitting this bill to the House without any language that would in any manner restrict or permanently dissolve the administration's so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
The Department of Justice established the $1.8 billion fund in return for President Donald Trump’s agreement to withdraw his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. However, following public outcry, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated earlier this week that the DOJ was abandoning plans for the fund, despite Trump’s continued endorsement of it as a "beautiful thing."
Democrats and some Republicans sought to utilize the more than 18-hour voting period overnight to propose amendments to the bill, aiming to include measures to control the fund, but they ultimately failed to secure the necessary votes to approve any amendment pertaining to it.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) heads for the Senate Chamber in between votes at the U.S. Capitol on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Senate commenced a lengthy session of amendment votes on the $70 billion immigration enforcement legislation.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Several Republicans supported amendments intended to restrict the fund throughout the process, including Senators Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, Jon Husted, Dan Sullivan, and Susan Collins.
Nevertheless, that support proved insufficient to ensure any of those amendments were adopted. Despite having previously voiced concerns about backing this bill if amendments to control the fund were not approved, both Tillis and Cassidy ultimately voted for the final passage of the immigration enforcement bill.
"Following tonight’s vote, it is evident to Americans that Republicans are unwilling to ban Donald Trump’s $2 billion slush fund," stated Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s leading Democrat, on the Senate floor. "Now the entire nation can discern the truth: Republicans exerted considerable effort to appease Donald Trump and his slush fund, yet they made no move to assist working Americans in reducing their expenses."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com