Trump 'slush fund' sinks Senate Immigration Bill

Key points

• U.S. Senate Republicans abandoned plans on Thursday (May 21, 2026) to advance major immigration enforcement legislation after furious internal disagreement over a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for U.S. President Donald Trump's allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by federal agencies.
• The collapse was a significant setback for Mr. Trump and party leaders, who had hoped to pass roughly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and other agencies before lawmakers began a week-long recess.
• Instead, the debate exposed rare public resistance from Republicans normally inclined to fall in line behind the President, with senators balking at provisions they feared would be politically toxic in an election year dominated by affordability concerns.
• The immediate flashpoint was Mr. Trump's proposed "anti-weaponization fund," which critics warned could send taxpayer money to Mr. Trump supporters convicted of violence against police officers during the 2021 attack on the U.S....