U.S. Senate passes $70 billion immigration enforcement bill

WASHINGTON, DC (CBS) – The U.S. Senate has approved a roughly $70 billion bill to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement agencies.

The passage followed a marathon series of votes that started yesterday and continued through the night into this morning.

In a 52 to 47 vote, the Senate approved funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through the end of the Trump administration. One Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted with Democrats in opposition.

The package now heads to the House.

After months of opposition from Democrats, Republicans pursued the funding using budget reconciliation, which avoided the need for Democratic votes to move forward. The vote on final passage came after the chamber held a so-called “vote-a-rama,” which spanned more than 18 hours. Senators were able to offer an unlimited number of amendments, requiring the chamber to cast more than two dozen votes.

The marathon voting marks the beginning of bringing to an end a long saga over fiscal year 2026 government funding, which prompted a 43-day shutdown last fall, followed by a partial government shutdown earlier this year. With the rest of the government funded, Republicans are looking to close the loop on the final agencies, while guaranteeing they remain funded through the end of the Trump administration.

— CBS News