JUNE 6, 2026
Senate passes $70 billion immigration enforcement funding bill mostly along party lines
The Senate passed a $70 billion immigration enforcement funding bill early on June 5, 2026, following roughly 18 hours of debate and overnight votes. The measure passed 52-47, with one Republican — Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voting against it alongside Democrats. The bill must still clear the House of Representatives before it can be sent to President Trump.
After weeks of delays, the Senate voted 52-47 in the early hours of June 5 to pass a $70 billion package funding immigration enforcement agencies — including ICE and Border Patrol — for the next three years. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only Republican to join Democrats in voting against the measure.
Much of the legislative tension centered on a roughly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund established by the Justice Department as part of a settlement with the IRS. An amendment from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to permanently eliminate the fund fell three votes short of passing, with three Republicans joining Democrats in support, according to NPR. A separate proposal to redirect the fund's money toward fraud enforcement also failed.
During a congressional hearing the day before the vote, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ would not move forward with the anti-weaponization fund, noting that it had not been "set up yet," that no commissioners had been named, and that no claims had been made, Fox News reported. Republicans who opposed the anti-weaponization fund amendments cited Blanche's assurances as sufficient, though Democrats disputed that a verbal promise constituted accountability.