Trump needed this.
Senate Republicans handed President Donald Trump a major victory early Friday morning, approving a massive $70 billion immigration enforcement package after an intense overnight battle on Capitol Hill.
The vote marked another significant win for the Trump administration as Republicans largely united behind legislation aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement and advancing one of the president’s top priorities.
The bill passed by a vote of 52-47.
Only Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska broke ranks and joined Democrats in opposing the measure. Every other Republican senator voted in favor, helping push the legislation across the finish line after hours of debate and amendment votes.
As the final vote was gaveled down shortly before dawn, Republicans applauded the bill’s passage.
The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where members are expected to begin considering it next week.
Democrats Fail To Stop Key Trump Priority
One of the biggest fights surrounding the legislation involved a controversial Department of Justice fund that has become a flashpoint in Washington.
The $1.8 billion fund, often referred to by critics as the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” survived the Senate process untouched despite repeated attempts by Democrats and a handful of Republicans to place restrictions on it.
As a result, the immigration enforcement package leaves the Senate with no language that would limit, reform, or permanently eliminate the fund.
For Trump supporters, the outcome represented another example of Republicans holding together despite intense pressure from Democrats and media critics.
What Is The DOJ Fund?
The controversy stems from a Justice Department agreement that led President Trump to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
Under the arrangement, the DOJ established a $1.8 billion fund that quickly became the subject of political debate.
After backlash from lawmakers and commentators, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced earlier this week that the department planned to abandon the proposal.
Even so, Trump has continued to defend the idea, describing it as a “beautiful thing” and arguing that critics have misrepresented its purpose.
Overnight Amendment Battle Falls Short
Throughout the Senate’s lengthy voting session, Democrats worked alongside several Republican senators to add amendments that would have restricted the fund.
None succeeded.
Several Republicans voted for at least some of those proposals, including:
- Lisa Murkowski
- Thom Tillis
- Bill Cassidy
- Jon Husted
- Dan Sullivan
- Susan Collins
Despite those efforts, every amendment targeting the fund failed to gain enough support for adoption.
The defeats cleared the way for final passage of the broader immigration enforcement package.
Republicans Ultimately Unite
Much of the attention during the overnight session focused on Sens. Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy.
Both senators had previously raised concerns about supporting the legislation if changes to the DOJ fund were not included.
In the end, however, both lawmakers voted in favor of the final bill.
Their support proved critical in helping Republicans secure a legislative victory and send the measure to the House.
Schumer Launches Sharp Attack
Following the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted Republicans from the Senate floor.
Schumer argued that the vote showed Republicans were unwilling to eliminate what he described as Trump’s $2 billion political fund.
The New York Democrat argued that Republicans were focused on defending Trump while failing to address rising costs facing American families.
Republicans rejected that criticism and instead pointed to the immigration enforcement package as a major step toward addressing border security concerns.
What Happens Next?
The House of Representatives is expected to consider the legislation next week.
If approved by the House, the bill would deliver another significant policy victory for President Trump and congressional Republicans, who have made immigration enforcement a central issue heading into the next phase of Trump’s agenda.
For now, Senate Republicans are celebrating a hard-fought win after an overnight battle that ended with one of the most important immigration votes of the year.
