The bitter feud over federal immigration enforcement funding is finally over after Republicans in the U.S. Senate were able to pass a funding bill Friday morning.
The bill secures $70 billion that will fund President Donald Trump’s directive for mass deportations by supercharging operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as Customs and Border Protection.
‘No more slush funds for corruption. We must dismantle DHS and abolish ICE!’
The Senate voted 52 to 47 to pass the bill with one lone Republican joining the Democrats, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. It now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives for approval.
Democrats opposed the increased funding based on their criticism of operations under the Trump administration. Some pointed to the deaths of anti-ICE protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good, while others accused Trump of being motivated by racism.
Democrats were also pushing to include a provision in the bill outlawing the proposal for a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund to compensate Trump supporters persecuted by the federal government.
Republicans defeated that provision and passed the bill.
Democrats, as expected, were outraged.
“Early this morning, the Senate passed a $70 billion reconciliation bill to give ICE and CBP more funding to terrorize our communities, and violate our rights,” said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). “To avoid all transparency and accountability, they voted down EVERY amendment to protect our communities and rein in Trump’s corruption while Americans slept. We must hold the line as it moves to the House next week. NO more money to ICE and CBP. No more slush funds for corruption. We must dismantle DHS and abolish ICE!”
“While you were sleeping, Senate Republicans jammed through a $70 BILLION blank check for ICE,” responded Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.). “In the middle of a cost-of-living CRISIS, instead of focusing on how to lower your grocery bills, your gas bills, your health care bills, your housing bills, and the millions of other bills you are dealing with, they are focused squarely on passing more and more funding for an out-of-control agency for the remainder of Trump’s term.”
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Senate Republican Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) acknowledged that the anti-weaponization fund is no longer an option based on the testimony of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche before Congress, but Democrats are still not satisfied.
“Republicans refused to permanently outlaw Trump’s $2 billion slush fund, leaving taxpayers to rely on nothing more than a promise from Donald Trump’s personal fixer,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Trump later said of the fund, “I love it. I think it’s so important.”
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