‘A Galactic Blunder’: Senate Goes on Recess Until June, Missing Trump’s Deadline for ICE Funding Bill
The U.S. Senate went into recess without passing a bill too fund Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, leaving a key goal of President Donald Trump unfulfilled.
A major sticking point was the governance’s proposed “anti-weaponization fund,” which would allow people who said they were harmed by prior Justice Department actions to sue. Trump sought about $1.776 billion for it, but the idea became controversial among Republicans and contributed to lawmakers choosing to leave Washington until June 1.
Reporting based on congressional comments and interviews says Senate Republicans held a antagonistic, lengthy meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, with many GOP senators opposing the fund. Several senators-including Ron Johnson (via CNN), and others cited by outlets such as Axios-criticized the timing and concept, and some questioned whether the fund should exist.
The Senate has gone on recess without passing a bill to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol.
The catalyst for leaving without passing a bill President Donald Trump wanted passed by June 1 was the proposed creation of a so-called “anti-weaponization fund” that would allow individuals who could claim they were mistreated by past Justice Department actions to sue, according to Axios.
Trump was seeking $1.776 billion in funding for the fund, which became a bone of contention among Republicans, leading to the decision to leave Washington until June 1.
“Ron Johnson told me the Trump administration should have focused on getting ICE/CBP bill passed and the decision to unveil $1.8B fund now (when they’re trying to pass the bill) was a giant mistake,” CNN’s Manu Raju posted on X.
Ron Johnson told me the Trump administration should have focused on getting ICE/CBP bill passed and the decision to unveil $1.8B fund now (when they’re trying to pass the bill) was a giant mistake.
“Somebody described it as a galactic blunder, and I think that’s probably true.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 21, 2026
“Somebody described it as a galactic blunder, and I think that’s probably true,” Raju quoted the Wisconsin Republican as saying.
Journalist Brendan Peterson of Punchbowl News noted that the decision to skip town came after a week of contentious Republican primary politics.
Thune asked if Senate Rs are responding to politics — ie, Trump endorsements and snubs this week
“It’s hard to divorce anything that happens here from what’s happening in political atmosphere around us,” Thune said. “You can’t disconnect those things.”
— Brendan Pedersen (@BrendanPedersen) May 21, 2026
“It’s hard to divorce anything that happens here from what’s happening in political atmosphere around us,” he quoted Senate Majority Leader John Thune as saying. “You can’t disconnect those things.”
Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News noted that the decision to leave came after GOP senators lobbed angry questions at acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over how the fund would work.
CBP/ICE funding bill will not be on President Trump’s desk by June 1st, as he had said he wanted.
Senate going home. Bad vibes on the Hill today. https://t.co/LP7rMRClMX
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 21, 2026
“Nearly 2-hour meeting with Acting AG Todd Blanche and Senate Republicans was incredibly hostile, per multiple attendees. As many as 25 GOP senators spoke (this is very rare for these meetings), all in opposition to weaponization fund. R’s pitched specific ideas such as dictating how the 5 commissioners are chosen & not allowing people convicted of violence against cops to be eligible for a payout,” he wrote.
News — Nearly 2-hour meeting with Acting AG Todd Blanche and Senate Republicans was incredibly hostile, per multiple attendees.
As many as 25 GOP senators spoke (this is very rare for these meetings), all in opposition to weaponization fund.
R’s pitched specific ideas such as…
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) May 21, 2026
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said the concept was “a bomb in the middle of a pretty well planned out reconciliation bill,” according to Axios.
Fellow Trump critic and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who lost a primary to a Trump-backed opponent, was also grumpy about the concept.
🚨🚨BREAKING NEWS: THE SENATE will go home until June, leaving the reconciliation bill unfinished.
THUNE just told senators in the room.
All because of the DOJ weaponization fund.
House is expected to follow suit soon.
me and @AndrewDesiderio
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 21, 2026
“I’m not sure the fund should exist,” he said.
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