The U.S. Senate approved a bill in the early hours of Friday, granting President Donald Trump a win by allocating an extra $70 billion for immigration enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for final review. With a 52-47 vote in the Senate, Democrats did not support the bill, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was against it.
The majority of the funding in the immigration bill is designated for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agencies, responsible for executing the extensive deportation efforts across the United States under the Trump administration. Republicans criticized Democrats for attempting to defund ICE and CBP, despite the agencies still having $100 billion in unspent funds from a previous DHS spending package. The newly approved funding is intended to cover the expenses of Trump’s controversial migrant deportation crackdown over the next three years.
During Thursday’s lengthy debate, Democrats, along with some Republicans, pushed for amendments unrelated to immigration. These proposals aimed to prohibit federal funds and private donations from being used to construct a lavish 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the White House premises as desired by Trump. Additionally, discussions revolved around making it illegal to use federal funds for an anti-weaponization fund that could compensate Trump’s political allies and individuals granted clemency after their involvement in offenses related to the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Despite these efforts, the amendments were not approved.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated in congressional testimony that the fund might not proceed, but Trump expressed his support for it, suggesting its importance. This fund has faced scrutiny, with Republicans rejecting an amendment from Sen. Bill Cassidy that proposed redirecting funds from the settlement to law enforcement members injured in the January 6 attacks.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s attempt to abolish the fund, labeled as a “slush fund” for Trump’s allies, faced resistance. Although Schumer’s motion failed, it revealed internal discord among Senate Republicans, with some seeking amendments to permanently eliminate the fund before the upcoming midterm elections. Schumer criticized the decision, emphasizing the need for accountability.
Senators Collins, Husted, and Sullivan, facing tough re-election battles, voted against banning the settlement fund. Another amendment to transfer the funds to an anti-fraud fund at the Department of Justice proposed by Sen. Thom Tillis was also rejected. The House is not expected to address the bill until the following week, as per Republican leaders’ plans.
