Tipsheet

Senate Passes $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Package

Senate Republicans just passed a $70 billion immigration enforcement funding package, a major win for President Trump and his administration's immigration policies.

Here's more:

Senate Republicans on Friday rammed through their $70 billion bill to fund President Trump’s immigration crackdown through the remainder of his term, after beating back bipartisan efforts to add language to bar or sharply restrict a federal payout fund for his political allies.

The vote early Friday morning sent the measure to the House, which was expected to move quickly to pass it.

It was a victory for the president and his party, who have been eager to spotlight their hard-line immigration stance — and Democrats’ opposition to it — in the middle of an election year when their control of Congress is at stake. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, was the only Republican to oppose the measure, joining all Democrats.

This was seen as a major win for President Trump's immigration agenda, although it was not without some hiccups. Democrats tried to attach an amendment that would have banned President Trump's Anti-Weaponization payout fund, something the DOJ has already said it will no longer be pursuing.

Three Republicans voted yes on that Schumer-backed amendment.

Republicans used reconciliation to push the measure through the Senate, circumventing the filibuster and Democrats' ongoing opposition to enforcing any of our immigration laws, and the Democrats' push to defund ICE and Border Patrol.

The bill provides roughly $40 billion for ICE and an additional $26 billion for Border Patrol through 2029.

The House will take up the bill next week, and is likely to pass the measure quickly.