Senate passes $70B immigration enforcement bill without limits on Trump settlement fund

The U.S. Senate successfully passed a substantial $70 billion immigration enforcement funding package early Friday morning, a legislative victory that followed weeks of procedural delays and intense internal Republican disagreement. The bill, which allocates funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through the end of President Donald Trump's term over the next three years, secured passage with a 52-47 vote. This outcome occurred despite concerted efforts to amend its provisions, particularly concerning an unrelated and highly controversial $1.776 billion **settlement** fund.

The contentious settlement fund, designed to compensate political allies of former President Trump who allege political persecution, nearly caused the entire immigration bill to **derail**. Senate Democrats, joined by a significant faction of Republicans, launched multiple attempts to attach amendments that would permanently block payouts from this fund. A particularly pointed rebuke came from Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who proposed redirecting the settlement money to law enforcement officers injured during the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. This proposal highlighted a stark moral quandary for some Republicans, as the fund's beneficiaries could potentially include individuals involved in the Capitol assault.

The overnight legislative session became a test of party unity, transforming what was expected to be a straightforward vote on immigration funding into a protracted internal struggle for Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., despite his own criticisms of the judgment fund—which resolves Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns—had been vigorously lobbying his colleagues to maintain focus solely on the immigration funding. He aimed to prevent new provisions that could complicate the bill's passage in the House. However, the debate was fueled by President Trump's own **ambiguity** regarding the settlement's future; after the acting Attorney General Todd Blanche had stated the fund would not proceed, Trump subsequently suggested it was "very important" and uncertain whether it was "dead or on hold."

Ultimately, all attempts to impose legislative limits on the settlement fund were narrowly defeated. A Democratic effort, initially held open for hours, failed after key Republican senators, including Cassidy, voted against it. A subsequent amendment from Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, which sought to ban the fund and reallocate the money to an anti-fraud fund, also met defeat, largely due to opposition from most Democrats. Tillis explicitly labeled the fund a "political liability" for the party, warning that its continued existence would expose members up for reelection to difficult questions between now and Election Day, especially given the Attorney General's earlier statements that the fund was "largely inoperative." Despite these strong objections and the political risks, the bill advanced without any restrictions on the disputed settlement payouts.