Washington — The Senate is gearing up for an extensive voting session on Thursday, as Republicans push forward with plans to finance immigration agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, without Democratic support.
Following a series of disruptions concerning President Trump’s White House ballroom and the Justice Department’s controversial “anti-weaponization” fund, the Senate is proceeding with the reconciliation process. This begins with a “vote-a-rama” on Thursday morning, during which senators can propose an unlimited number of amendments, leading to continuous voting in the chamber.
Both Democrats and some Republicans are expected to introduce several measures aimed at curtailing the DOJ fund. This fund was initially intended to offer taxpayer-funded compensation to individuals claiming that the federal government had been “weaponized” against them. Earlier this week, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed a House committee that “we are not moving forward with the fund.” However, his reluctance to provide a written confirmation, coupled with the president’s ongoing endorsement of the scheme, has left some senators dubious.
Last month’s announcement of the fund nearly jeopardized the financing of DHS’s immigration enforcement agencies. Senate Republicans have been striving to secure this funding for months but encountered Democratic resistance following two deadly incidents involving federal agents in Minneapolis in January. With negotiations over potential agency reforms collapsing, Senate Republicans have decided to pursue the funding independently via budget reconciliation.
This procedural strategy allows Republicans to sidestep the usual 60-vote requirement needed to advance most legislation, enabling them to proceed with a simple majority.
Initially ready to commence the extensive voting session last month, GOP senators found themselves in a bind when the administration announced the contentious fund, prompting Democrats to repeatedly challenge them with votes on the issue. Republican leaders eventually abandoned the plan to start voting, leading to a recess without any progress. However, upon reconvening this week, Republicans swiftly sought reassurances from the administration and now appear more confident in their strategy to move forward.
Even with the assurances from the administration, Democrats will take the opportunity to hammer Republicans over the fund Thursday. But the amendments set to be brought by Republicans will be the most noteworthy.
GOP Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana have filed amendments related to the fund. Both senators are retiring at the end of this Congress, and have been more willing to break with their party than their colleagues. Whether they’re joined by other Republicans who occasionally cross the aisle, or the newly unleashed Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, remains to be seen.
Republicans were already forced to do away with funding related to the president’s renovation of the White House’s East Wing, where he plans to build a massive ballroom. The initial reconciliation package included $1 billion for the Secret Service for security related to the complex. But it was stripped from the final bill after pushback from a number of Senate Republicans.
The marathon vote series marks the beginning of bringing to an end a long saga over fiscal year 2026 government funding, which prompted a 43-day shutdown last fall, followed by a partial government shutdown earlier this year. With the rest of the government funded, Republicans are looking to close the loop on the final agencies, while guaranteeing they remain funded through the end of the Trump administration.
