US Senate passes $70bn ICE funding bill: What comes next?

The United States Senate has passed a bill long sought by US President Donald Trump to provide an additional $70bn in funding to his controversial immigration enforcement drive.

The bill passed early Friday morning will provide funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) throughout Trump’s term, adding to a massive windfall for both Department of Homeland Security agencies in a tax bill passed last year.

The funding bill passage in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the 100-seat chamber, comes amid months of delays spurred by staunch Democratic opposition to further funding the agencies behind Trump’s mass deportation drive.

It culminated in a so-called “ vote-a-rama ” which saw Democrats force a series of votes on politically fraught issues for Republicans, notably an amendment to bar Trump from ever launching a controversial “anti-weaponisation fund” his Department of Justice introduced, and then back away from, in recent weeks.

The funding bill now heads to the House, where Republicans also hold a slim majority. If passed there, it will head to Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

The House is expected to take up the bill next week, according to Republican leaders. With the party holding a 217 to 212 majority over Democrats, its passage is considered likely.

While Trump has faced increasing discontent from some members of his party, particularly over his handling of the war with Iran, his requests for security funding for his White House ballroom, and the Department of Justice’s “anti-weaponisation” fund, funding for immigration enforcement maintains broad Republican support.

As of Friday, no major Republican efforts to oppose the measure, or condition its passage on other legislative priorities, had emerged.