Senate passes $70bn bill to fund immigration enforcement, without limits on Trump ‘anti-weaponisation’ fund

Republicans in the US Senate overcame deep internal divisions and passed a massive $70 billion immigration enforcement package on Friday, delivering a major political win to President Donald Trump after struggling for weeks to pass the bill. The bill was passed after intense bipartisan backlash over a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponisation” fund threatened to derail the bill.

The bill, which funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol through Trump’s remaining term, protects the agencies from future government shutdown fights and now goes to the House for final passage.

The bill was passed by a vote of 52-47 after a marathon 18-hour voting session in which only one Republican voted against it. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only Republican to vote against the final package, which was also opposed by all Democrats.

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Murkowski criticised the use of the budget reconciliation process, which allows senators to advance legislation related to taxes and spending with a simple majority vote rather than the usual 60-vote threshold needed to overcome legislative filibusters.

Republicans approved the bill without killing the $1.8 billion Justice Department fund Trump had supported to compensate people who claim to have been victimised by the federal government.

The immigration bill, which some Republicans say could be Trump’s last major legislative victory before the midterms, had been stalled for weeks amid controversy over the fund.

Critics allege it would serve as a slush fund for Trump allies and could grant payouts to rioters who attacked police officers during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

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Many Republicans, including lawmakers facing tough re-election races in November, voted for formally blocking the fund, highlighting concern within the party over it.

The GOP-led Senate voted down an effort led by Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to shut down the fund, but only after hours of leadership arm-twisting.

An amendment from Sen. Jeff Merkley to prohibit funding for Trump’s ballroom was also defeated, though nearly a half dozen Republican senators voted with Democrats.

The payout fund was created by the Trump administration as part of the settlement of the president’s lawsuit against the IRS for the leak of his tax returns.

The bill includes $38.6 billion for ICE, $22.6 billion for the Border Patrol, $5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and $108.5 million for child exploitation investigations.

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Senators from both parties proposed 29 amendments and motions before voting on final passage, with some Republicans supporting amendments that broke with Trump’s priorities.

Eight Republicans voted in favour of an amendment that would prohibit payments from the fund to Jan. 6 rioters convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers, but the amendment failed to get the 60 votes needed to pass.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticised Republicans for passing the “rotten” bill.

“Republicans refused to permanently outlaw Trump’s $2 billion slush fund, leaving taxpayers to rely on nothing more than a promise from Donald Trump’s personal fixer,” Schumer said in a statement. “That is not accountability. That is a permission slip.”

Schumer further criticised Republicans for rejecting Democrats’ efforts to include amendments aimed at lowering the cost of housing, healthcare, gas, and child care.

The funding bill now goes to the House, which will need to pass it before it’s sent to Trump’s desk for his signature. The House announced Thursday that it would no longer be holding votes on Friday, so any House action on the bill will wait until next week.