Republicans in the United States (US) Senate have passed a sweeping $70 billion immigration enforcement package, handing President Donald Trump a significant legislative victory after weeks of internal party disagreements threatened to derail the measure. The bill, approved in the early hours of Friday after an overnight voting session that……
Republicans in the United States (US) Senate have passed a sweeping $70 billion immigration enforcement package, handing President Donald Trump a significant legislative victory after weeks of internal party disagreements threatened to derail the measure.
The bill, approved in the early hours of Friday after an overnight voting session that lasted about 18 hours, secured passage by a 52-47 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for final approval.
The legislation provides long-term funding for federal immigration agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol operations, through the remainder of Trump’s current term in office.
The vote exposed divisions within the Republican Party over a controversial $1.8 billion Justice Department compensation fund backed by Trump.
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Critics of the provision argued that it could become a financial vehicle for rewarding political allies and potentially compensate individuals involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
Despite repeated attempts by lawmakers to eliminate the fund during the marathon session, Republicans ultimately approved the broader immigration package without removing it.
Several Republican senators, including some facing difficult re-election contests, supported efforts to block the provision, highlighting unease within the party over its inclusion.
In the final vote, only Lisa Murkowski broke ranks and voted against the bill among Senate Republicans.
The Trump administration had sought to reassure lawmakers that the compensation programme would not move forward, hoping to ease concerns and secure support for the stalled legislation.
Earlier in the week, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers the administration was “not moving forward with the fund, period.”
Trump, however, appeared less definitive when asked about the future of the programme.
“I’d have to ask the lawyers, I don’t know,” Trump told CNN when questioned on whether the fund had been permanently abandoned.
“As far as I’m concerned, it was a beautiful thing,” he added.
Meanwhile, senators also dealt a setback to separate efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a key US intelligence-gathering authority.
In a procedural vote held shortly after the immigration bill passed, seven Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in blocking consideration of the surveillance legislation.
Democrats had opposed advancing the measure following Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte, a housing official, as acting director of national intelligence, citing concerns about his national security credentials.
