The United States Senate on Friday approved a $70 billion funding package to bolster immigration enforcement, delivering President Donald Trump a major legislative win on one of his signature policy priorities.
The measure, passed in a 52–47 vote with no Democratic support and one Republican defection, will finance Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol for the next three years. It adds to roughly $100 billion in unspent Department of Homeland Security law enforcement funds already available, ensuring deportation operations remain fully resourced through the remainder of Trump’s term.
The vote capped a tense two‑day amendment marathon in Washington, known as a “vote‑a‑rama,” where lawmakers sparred over issues ranging from Trump’s proposed $1 billion White House ballroom to a controversial “anti‑weaponisation” compensation fund.
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Critics warned the fund could serve as a taxpayer‑backed “slush fund” for Trump’s political allies.
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of refusing to permanently outlaw what he called Trump’s “$2 billion slush fund,” saying “That is not accountability. That is a permission slip.”Several Republicans broke ranks during the debate.
Senators Susan Collins, Jon Husted, and Dan Sullivan joined Democrats in supporting Schumer’s motion to eliminate the fund, though it failed in a 50–49 vote.
Senator Bill Cassidy also sought to scrap the fund outright, while Senator Cory Booker joined him in a court brief backing a federal order that blocked the program.
Senator Thom Tillis argued the issue needed to be resolved in law, warning, “When you’re explaining, you’re losing. There’s no way to explain the $1.8 billion fund.
”Despite assurances from the Justice Department that the scheme was on hold, Trump continued to praise it, telling reporters: “I love it. I think it’s so important.”
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According to reports, Democrats attempted to redirect immigration enforcement money toward housing and affordability programs, accusing Republicans of prioritising deportation over cost‑of‑living concerns.
In a separate rebuke, several Republicans joined Democrats to back new sanctions on Russia and $8 billion in military financing loans for Ukraine.
The earlier stopgap measure had funded much of Homeland Security through September 30 but excluded ICE and Border Patrol, setting up the showdown that ended with Friday’s vote.
The immigration package survived intact, giving Trump a clear policy victory while highlighting the uneasy balance Republican leaders must strike between advancing his agenda and managing internal resistance ahead of the midterm elections.
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