Watch Live: Senate holds "vote-a-rama" on ICE funding, rejects Democrats' move to ban DOJ fund

Washington — The Senate on Thursday rejected a Democratic effort aimed at permanently blocking the Justice Department's "anti-weaponization" fund, defeating an amendment at the start of a marathon vote series on funding for immigration enforcement.

Republicans are pushing ahead with a roughly $70 billion package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol using reconciliation, which avoids the need for Democratic votes to move forward.

After a series of fits and starts over President Trump's White House ballroom and the Justice Department's fund, the chamber began a so-called "vote-a-rama" Thursday morning. Senators can offer an unlimited number of amendments and require the chamber to cast vote after vote.

But Democrats' gambit to eliminate the fund failed in a 49 to 50 vote on an amendment that kicked off the vote series. The amendment would have sent the funding package back to the Judiciary Committee, with instructions to prevent money from going to the DOJ fund. Three Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jon Husted of Ohio and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, joined Democrats in favor of the amendment, which required a simple majority of the chamber.

Despite falling short, the amendment vote exposed a GOP rift as Husted, Sullivan and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana refrained from voting for more than two hours, while Cassidy appeared to negotiate with GOP leaders. Cassidy, who lost his primary last month after the president endorsed his opponent, has been outspoken about his opposition to the fund. He ultimately voted against Schumer's amendment.

Shortly after, another amendment related to the fund failed to secure enough support, in a 15 to 84 vote. That proposal, put forward by Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, would have redirected the money from the DOJ fund to fraud enforcement. Among Republicans, it was supported by Cassidy, Collins, Husted and Sullivan, along with Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, John Curtis of Utah, Joni Erst of Iowa, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Todd Young of Indiana. Three Democrats, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, voted in favor. 
Democrats — and some Republicans — are expected to force a number of other votes aimed at restricting the DOJ fund, which would provide taxpayer-funded payouts to individuals who alleged the federal government had been "weaponized" against them. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before a House committee earlier this week that "we are not moving forward with the fund." But his refusal to put anything in writing, and the president's continued praise for the plan, have made some senators skeptical.

Senate Majority leader John Thune stood by Blanche's comments, telling reporters as the vote-a-rama kicked off that the statement was "definitive."

"I know that the president has mixed views about this, but the person who would set that up would be the attorney general," Thune said. 

Even with the assurances from the administration, Democrats have taken the opportunity to hammer Republicans over the fund. But the amendments being brought by Republicans are the most noteworthy. 

Along with Tillis, Cassidy has also 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. 

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.

Reconciliation allows Republicans to bypass the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation and move forward with a simple majority of members.