Senate Passes $70bn Immigration Enforcement Bill: What's Included...

The Republican-controlled Senate passed a roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement bill early Friday, advancing a measure that funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol for the next three years. The 52–47 vote, which concluded just before 5 a.m., followed hours of debate and a marathon amendment process known as a "vote-a-rama," during which lawmakers from both parties attempted unsuccessfully to add provisions restricting a $1.776 billion settlement slush fund to pay out to President Donald Trump's allies. The legislation provides tens of billions of dollars in new funding aimed primarily at expanding federal immigration enforcement operations. Lawmakers structured the bill to support hiring, equipment, and operational costs across multiple agencies tasked with carrying out Trump's flagship mass deportation policy. The proposal allocates about $72 billion overall, with most of the funding directed toward enforcement. The largest share, $38.2 billion, is designated for ICE to expand and sustain its operations, including hiring personnel, supporting detention and removal efforts, upgrading technology and facilities, and increasing cooperation agreements with local law enforcement. A portion of those funds is set aside for investigative work for Homeland Security Investigations, a subdivision of ICE. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which oversees U.S. Border Patrol, will receive about $26 billion to hire and equip personnel, enhance surveillance and inspection systems, and carry out border screenings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is allocated roughly $5 billion for broader operational and enforcement-related purposes, while the Department of Justice (DOJ) will receive about $1.5 billion to support immigration-related legal enforcement and administration. This is a developing story. More to follow.