Senate begins debate on Republicans’ multibillion-dollar immigration funding package

The Senate is beginning debate on Republicans’ multibillion-dollar immigration funding package after quashing an internal revolt over opposition to a proposed fund to compensate individuals who say they were targeted by the federal government.

The Senate voted 53-46 along party lines to kick-start debate on the $70 billion funding package, setting the stage for a marathon voting session known as a vote-a-rama. Both Utah Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis voted in favor of beginning debate.

The procedural vote opens the floor to a maximum of 20 hours of debate, evenly divided between the two parties. While Republicans pressed to end debate early and begin votes Wednesday evening, the vote-a-rama could begin Thursday morning after Democrats said they would use all of their allotted time.

The funding package seeks to allocate roughly $70 billion to federal immigration agencies for the next three years, specifically ICE and Border Patrol. The package no longer includes funds for the Secret Service, which would have dedicated funds for security enhancements to the White House ballroom project.

Senators can introduce an unlimited number of amendments during the vote-a-rama session, making it unclear when a final vote will be. Thune acknowledged some Republicans are planning to introduce their own amendments — or considering some proposed by Democrats — but urged party members not to threaten the bill’s final passage.

Controversial DOJ fund is ‘off the table,’ top Republicans say

“The goal is to get the base bill across the finish line, and so hopefully all of our members who have amendment ideas will ... keep in mind the need that we’ve got to keep the bill together and make sure we’ve got 50 votes for it at the end,” Thune said.

Democrats want to ban anti-weaponization fund

Democrats have hinted they will introduce amendments to ban the Justice Department from creating an anti-weaponization fund — which could garner some Republican support after several GOP senators came out against the fund last month.

Thune has warned against supporting those amendments, voicing concerns that such language risks President Donald Trump vetoing the entire package.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche assured lawmakers on Tuesday that the recently announced $1.78 billion anti-weaponization fund is “off the table” after widespread backlash, but Democrats want to ensure it can’t be brought back in the future. Some Republicans could be considering to back those amendments if brought to the floor.

“I just feel like we just need to do a Wayback Machine and just pretend like this never existed and take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it can never exist or disperse,” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is planning to introduce an amendment eliminating the fund, said this week. “Not in the current environment.”

Utah Sen. John Curtis declined to say whether he would back such an amendment, telling the Deseret News he would need to see specific language first. But the Utah senator didn’t close the door to implementing certain guardrails on such a fund to ensure it isn’t misused.

“There are things that probably could be done to satisfy me, as far as guardrails, but they’d have to be super robust,” Curtis said. “I think my biggest concern is: is this the way that we handle missteps by our judicial branch? I don’t think it is. I think the system is already there to handle those missteps, and I don’t think we need another system on top of it that starts with a large fund.”

The Senate will vote on the immigration funding package by the end of this week, after which it will be sent to the Senate for consideration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters on Wednesday he expects the bill will pass the lower chamber with enough support.

It’s not yet clear when that vote could take place. Johnson said it could happen next week, but GOP leaders are also in the process of waiving House rules to expedite passage as soon as this week.