President Donald Trump just got a big win on his immigration agenda. The Senate approved a bill early Friday that would pour an additional $70 billion into border enforcement and deportation efforts over the next three years. The vote was 52-47, with no Democrats backing it and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) as the sole Republican holdout.
Murkowski said she objected to skipping the usual appropriations process and criticized lawmakers for not permanently killing a controversial fund tied to the bill. That fund—$1.8 billion labeled as an 'anti-weaponization' fund—has become the main flashpoint. Democrats argue it's a taxpayer-funded slush fund that could compensate Trump allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by the government. Several Republicans also had concerns, introducing amendments to redirect or eliminate the money.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune tried to defuse the issue, pointing out that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified the Justice Department wouldn't move forward with the program. But Democrats weren't buying verbal assurances. The bulk of the $70 billion would go to expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol as the administration ramps up deportations nationwide.
The bill now heads to the House, where its fate is uncertain. If it passes, it would mark a major expansion of Trump's immigration enforcement push—but the fight over that $1.8 billion fund isn't going away.
