Senate Passes $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Bill After Marathon Overnight Session

The Senate approved a $70 billion immigration enforcement package early Friday morning, delivering a major legislative victory for the Trump administration after weeks of delays and internal Republican disputes over a controversial settlement fund tied to alleged government weaponization.

The legislation passed by a 52-47 vote shortly before 5 a.m. following an all-night “vote-a-rama” during which senators considered and rejected dozens of amendments.

The bill now heads to the House, where lawmakers are expected to take it up early next week.

Much of the debate centered on a proposed $1.776 billion settlement fund that emerged from the resolution of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the disclosure of his tax returns. The fund has drawn criticism from both parties and became a sticking point that threatened to derail the legislation.

Republicans defeated more than two dozen amendments related to the fund, including a proposal from Sen. Bill Cassidy that would have redirected settlement money to law enforcement officers injured during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

“This would have been done several hours ago if we weren’t having to deal with some of the issues around the fund,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters late Thursday.

Despite Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informing lawmakers earlier in the week that the settlement fund would not move forward, several Republican senators sought to permanently block it through legislation.

Those efforts intensified after Trump suggested Wednesday that the settlement remained important and indicated uncertainty about its status.

“I’d have to ask the lawyers,” Trump told reporters when questioned about whether the fund was dead or merely paused.

The first amendment vote, offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, sought to prohibit the settlement fund outright. The measure failed 50-49 after being held open for several hours. Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Jon Husted and Dan Sullivan joined Democrats in support.

A separate amendment from Sen. Thom Tillis that would have redirected the settlement money into a Department of Justice anti-fraud fund was also rejected.

“If Blanche says this is largely inoperative, why not use this moment to codify that?” Tillis argued during debate.

Cassidy’s amendment, which would have compensated officers injured during the Capitol riot, also failed. Cassidy argued that despite Blanche’s assurances, the settlement remained legally active and could potentially be used in the future.

Democrats repeatedly criticized Republicans for refusing to permanently eliminate the fund through legislation.

Schumer accused Republicans of relying solely on promises from administration officials rather than placing binding restrictions into law.

The immigration funding measure itself provides approximately $70 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through the remainder of Trump’s current term.

The legislation also resolves a months-long funding dispute that began after Democrats demanded policy changes following the fatal shooting of two anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota earlier this year by federal agents.

Democrats had sought additional restrictions on federal immigration enforcement, including enhanced identification requirements for federal officers and expanded use of judicial warrants. Negotiations ultimately stalled, leading Republicans to pursue the funding package through a partisan process.

With Senate approval now secured, House Republicans are expected to move quickly on the legislation as the administration continues to prioritize border security and immigration enforcement heading into the 2026 midterm election cycle.