US Senate Approves $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Funding Bill

US Senate Passes Bill Providing $70 Billion in Funding for Immigration Enforcement Agencies

The US Senate has passed a bill providing an additional $70 billion in funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), two agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. The bill, which was passed early Friday morning, will provide ongoing funding to these agencies throughout President Donald Trump’s term.

The bill comes after months of delays sparked by opposition from Democrats to further funding for the agencies behind Trump’s mass deportation drive. The Senate’s 53-47 vote on the bill follows a marathon “vote-a-rama” session, during which Democrats forced votes on several politically fraught issues for Republicans.

The funding bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to be taken up next week. If passed in the House, the bill will be sent to Trump’s desk for signature. The House has a 217-212 majority over Democrats, making passage likely.

Trump had requested increased funding for immigration enforcement agencies as part of his immigration policy. The funding was already allocated in a tax bill passed last year, which provided $170 billion to federal agencies, including ICE and CBP. However, Democrats continued to oppose further funding for the agencies following the killing of two US citizens by ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Senate Republicans used a budget reconciliation process to bypass the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster, allowing them to pass the bill despite opposition from Democrats. The “vote-a-rama” session also saw several Republican amendments introduced, including one that would have barred Trump from launching an “anti-weaponisation fund”. However, this amendment was not included in the final bill.

The funding bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to be taken up next week.

Source: Al Jazeera