Republican leaders in Congress suggested Tuesday the Trump administration is fully pausing its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” in light of it threatening the GOP’s immigration enforcement bill, after the Justice Department sparked widespread confusion Monday about the fund’s fate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, on April 14.
The “anti-weaponization” fund has threatened to derail the GOP’s bill that directs billions to Trump’s immigration priorities, as many Republicans are critical of the fund and were expected to join with Democrats to pass amendments that would restrict or kill it.
Reports emerged Monday suggesting the Justice Department was going to pause the fund indefinitely in order to quell Republicans’ concerns and save the immigration enforcement bill, but the agency only said it was complying with a recent court order that blocks the fund more temporarily—leaving it unclear whether the fund was actually being killed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday despite the DOJ’s vague statement, his understanding is the fund is “off the table,” claiming his conversation about it with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was “very definitive.”
