Senate Passes $70B Immigration Enforcement Package

The US Senate passed a $69.5 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday.

The Details: The package will allocate $30.73 billion to ICE, $22.57 billion to CBP, and $2.5 billion to DHS. It expires at the end of President Donald Trump's term in 2029. The 52-47 vote marks the end of a DHS funding freeze that began in February, and it is expected to pass in the House next week. The package received no Democratic support, and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) joined in dissent. Murkowski contested Republicans' use of the budget reconciliation process to overhaul Democrats' filibuster.

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How The Media Covered It: News outlets across the political spectrum highlighted Republicans' intraparty divisions – specifically criticism from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). The Guardian (Left bias) said Republicans "spent almost a full day haggling," and Fox News (Right) said they "managed to stitch together a unified front… but divisions over the president's agenda were laid bare after a marathon day of votes." Fox quoted Republican Sen. John Kennedy (LA), who quipped, "I've seen worse. Nobody's stabbed anybody yet." The Hill (Center) reported on the "ferocious battle" among senators as well, but it also highlighted an approved provision spearheaded by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (MO) to combat child exploitation. Daily Caller (Right) noted an instance of Democratic unity, in which Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (PA) expressed, "I'm going to vote with my party."

For Context: Trump initially gave Congress until June 1 to pass the bill before facing bipartisan challenges to his "Anti-Weaponization Fund." An amendment to block the fund failed, as did others to restore funding to the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (a watchdog for immigration enforcement abuses), block construction of the White House ballroom, and establish the "SAVE America Act."

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