Trump admin backs off controversial $2B fund, clearing path for stalled GOP immigration bill https://ift.tt/4OunYyK

The Department of Justice (DOJ) pressed pause on the Trump administration's "anti-weaponization" fund on Monday, giving Senate Republicans runway to hammer through a massive immigration enforcement funding package in the process.

The DOJ announced on X that it would abide by a Virginia federal court's order to not move forward with the fund. It comes as Republicans in the upper chamber punted their plan to advance a $72 billion immigration enforcement package over deep concerns about who could access the flow of taxpayer dollars from the nearly $2 billion fund.

The DOJ said in a statement that it "disagrees strongly with the decision on the Anti-Weaponization Fund" by the Virginia district court, "wherein the Court stated that, under no circumstances, may the Department of Justice proceed with the Anti-Weaponization Fund recently established in order to make up for the tremendous abuse, harm, and hate unfairly shown to so many people."

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"This fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise," the agency said. "The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling."

For the time being, that could ease Republicans' concerns over whether those convicted of assaulting police officers on Jan. 6, 2021, could access the money. And it will likely allow the GOP to restart the budget reconciliation process with that political pressure point now sidelined.

It comes as Democrats are gearing up for a deluge of bills and amendments that likely could have passed had the administration not halted the fund. But still, it's unclear if it means the fund has totally been nixed, or if it's just a temporary pause.

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When asked if he thought Democratic amendments and bills would survive, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that the administration would have to be crystal clear about what happens next.

"If the administration effectively shuts it down, and makes that very, very clear, and that, to me, should answer the question," Thune said.

Whether the fund has permanently come to an end is still an open question. Fox News Digital was referred to the DOJ by the White House for comment, and the DOJ did not immediately respond. 

Given that grey area, Senate Democrats plan to move full-steam ahead with their slate of legislation and amendments geared toward completely terminating the "anti-weaponization" fund. 

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"If Trump and Republicans are truly abandoning this corrupt scheme, they should have zero problem banning it in law," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X. "This week, Senate Democrats will push legislation to ban this slush fund and ensure no president can ever do this again. Trump’s word is nowhere near enough."

Schumer had already primed Democrats to take advantage of the brewing dissent within the GOP with an aggressive legislative strategy during the forthcoming "vote-a-rama," where both sides of the aisle will get a near unlimited number of amendments to vote on for the immigration package. 

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., already plans to introduce three bills that would redirect the funding to address growing affordability concerns in the country. 

"My bills will redirect the $1.8 BILLION slush fund money to SNAP, Medicaid, and law enforcement programs like those that help our local police departments hire more officers," Rosen said on X. 

"You work hard for your money, and I’ll be damned if I let Donald Trump or anyone else use it for a slush fund for their friends. Let’s see if Washington Republicans agree," she continued.