Washington DC - Senate Republicans abandoned plans Thursday to advance a major immigration enforcement bill, after furious internal disagreement over a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for President Donald Trump's allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by federal agencies.

The collapse was a significant setback for Republican leaders, who had hoped to pass roughly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, and other agencies before lawmakers left Washington for a week-long recess.

Instead, the debate exposed rare public resistance from Republicans normally inclined to fall in line behind Trump, with senators balking at provisions they feared would be politically toxic in an election year dominated by affordability concerns.

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The immediate flashpoint was the compensation money – described as a "slush fund" by Democrats – which critics warned could send taxpayer money to Trump supporters convicted of violence against police officers during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

The so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund" faced swift backlash and even sparked a lawsuit from several Capitol Police officers who described the move as a "a corrupt sham."