Story perspectives

DOJ Drops $1.8 B Anti-Weaponization Fund Amid Injunction

6/3/2026

Summary

Story summary

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the Justice Department will not move forward with the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, effectively abandoning it.
The department halted the fund after a Virginia judge’s May 29 injunction, with its status pending a June 12 hearing, despite the DOJ’s strong disagreement.
Senate Democrats and some Republicans have introduced legislation to permanently block the fund, linking its fate to a $70 billion immigration enforcement package.

History

Historical Context

The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, allocated $9.7 billion to curb gun violence. Attorney General Janet Reno oversaw the program’s rollout, reporting a 12 percent reduction in firearm homicides within two years. Today, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche cites a Virginia judge’s May 29 injunction to halt a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, echoing past congressional funding battles. If legislators block the fund, the DOJ may lose a critical tool for preventing weaponization, mirroring the 1994 act’s mixed legacy on crime reduction.

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Story summary

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the Justice Department will not move forward with the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, effectively abandoning it.
The department halted the fund after a Virginia judge’s May 29 injunction, with its status pending a June 12 hearing, despite the DOJ’s strong disagreement.
Senate Democrats and some Republicans have introduced legislation to permanently block the fund, linking its fate to a $70 billion immigration enforcement package.

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