Senate passes $70B immigration enforcement funding bill

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate passed a $70 billion immigration enforcement funding plan just before 5 a.m. Friday.

The bill would provide ICE and Border Patrol funding for three years.

Lawmakers voted 52-47 to pass the immigration package through the upper chamber. Republicans fought off several amendments that would have banned President Trump’s controversial payout fund.

The bill now moves to the House.

Democrats push amendments

Democrats in the Senate tried to shut down a funding increase for immigration.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., proposed redirecting some funding to child care.

“While my colleagues work to cut a $70 billion check for ICE and Border Patrol, my amendment would redirect just some of that funding to make sure millions of American families have child care,” Baldwin said.

Democrats and some Republicans took aim at banning a proposed $1.8 billion payout fund President Trump wants. Some worry the fund could hand checks to January 6 rioters.

Sen. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., said his amendment “prohibits federal funds from being used to establish, administer, defend or play claims to the so-called anti-weaponization fund.”

Tillis tried to shift money from a payout fund into a fraud protection fund, but Democrats did not trust the DOJ to spend the money wisely.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said, “No cash for cronies. And no slush fund to have the president and the attorney general go after their political enemies.”

Republicans wanted the bill to be narrowly focused on immigration enforcement.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, “Once again the Democrats have an amendment that does not mention border security. It has nothing to do with the topic of today.”

After the Senate passed the bill early Friday morning, senators and representatives left Washington.

The House is expected to take up the plan next week.