Senate Approves $70 Billion Bill for Immigration Enforcement

The Senate passed legislation early Friday to fund immigration enforcement agencies, approving a $70 billion bill with a 52-47 vote. The bill allocates $38.6 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), $22.6 billion for the Border Patrol, $5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, and $108.5 million for child exploitation investigations. The legislation does not impose limits on a controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund, which has faced criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only Republican to oppose the bill, which all Democrats also voted against. The bill will now move to the House for consideration. The House has indicated that it will not hold votes on Friday, delaying action until next week. The contentious nature of the 'anti-weaponization' fund has previously caused delays in the legislative process, with mixed signals from the Trump administration regarding its future.