Senate Republicans abruptly left Washington on Thursday, abandoning plans to vote on a bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies before a week-long recess. The legislation, estimated between $70 billion and $72 billion, was intended to provide funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol over three years to support a massive migrant deportation program.
The push to pass the partisan funding bill collapsed due to party infighting and unrelated policy disagreements. GOP members expressed frustration with the White House, leading to an impasse that has postponed the necessary votes until June.
Central to the turmoil is a controversial $1.776 billion settlement fund, described as an anti-weaponization fund. This money is intended to compensate allies of President Donald Trump who believe they have been politically prosecuted, a proposal that has snarled legislative progress.