The U.S. Senate has passed a sweeping funding bill this morning that secures $70 billion for President Donald Trump’s directive to carry out mass deportations by supercharging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations.
The legislation was approved by a vote of 52 to 47, with one Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joining the Democrats. The bill now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for approval.
Democrats opposed the increased funding, citing their criticism of Trump administration operations. Some highlighted the deaths of anti-ICE protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good, while others accused President Trump of being motivated by racism. Additionally, Democrats were also defeated in their attempt to include a provision that would ban the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund designed to compensate Trump supporters persecuted by federal authorities.
The bill’s passage was accompanied by a Republican statement: “No more slush funds for corruption. We must dismantle DHS and abolish ICE!”
