Immigration Enforcement Bill
Senate Passes $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Bill Without Limits on Trump Settlement Fund
The Senate passed a $70 billion immigration enforcement bill at 4:57 a.m. EDT on June 5, 2026, in a 52-47 vote, according to AP News. The bill funds ICE and CBP through 2029 — ending a roughly 110-day funding lapse that began in February. It passed without any limits on a separate $1.776 billion settlement fund tied to President Trump personally.
The vote came after an all-night "vote-a-rama" in which Republicans defeated every Democratic amendment aimed at blocking or redirecting the settlement money. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only Republican to vote against the final bill, Forbes reported.
A Four-Month DHS Funding Crisis Finally Ends
ICE and CBP lost their funding on February 14, 2026, after Democrats refused to authorize new money without accountability reforms. They demanded warrant requirements and visible officer identification — demands sparked by the January shooting deaths of two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents in Minneapolis, according to AP News.
Republicans used "budget reconciliation" to get around the 60-vote Senate threshold needed to break a filibuster. That procedural move let them pass the bill with a simple majority. The $70 billion breaks down to $38.2 billion for ICE hiring, detention, and deportations, and $26 billion for CBP personnel and surveillance, the American Immigration Council reported.
The $1.776 Billion Settlement Fund That Nearly Killed the Bill
The bill's biggest fight was not about immigration. It was about a $1.776 billion payout from a lawsuit Trump filed over the leak of his tax returns. The settlement, critics noted, includes language ordering the IRS to end all current and future audits of the Trump family, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the fund "a permission slip" for corruption. Senate Majority Leader John Thune admitted the fund slowed everything down, saying, "This would have been done several hours ago if we weren't having to deal with some of the issues around the fund," AP News reported. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana tried to redirect the money to law enforcement officers hurt on January 6 — his amendment failed narrowly.
Settlement Payouts Still Frozen by Federal Judge
Even though the Senate refused to restrict the fund, a federal judge already has. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary block on all payouts from the $1.776 billion settlement on May 29, according to AP News. A follow-up hearing is set for June 12.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche — a former member of Trump's personal legal team — had told senators the fund would not move forward. Trump later told reporters the fund is "very important," contradicting Blanche directly. The legal and political fight over the money is far from over.
Bill Heads to House, Democrats Gear Up for Midterm Fight
The bill now goes to the Republican-controlled House, where it is expected to pass quickly. Speaker Mike Johnson had already criticized what he called the "Democrat DHS shutdown" and pushed for a multi-year funding fix, according to AP News. If signed into law, ICE and CBP will be fully funded through the end of Trump's term in 2029.
Democrats plan to use the settlement fund as a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections, framing it as a taxpayer giveaway to the president. The American Immigration Council warned the bill gives ICE and CBP billions with "no meaningful congressional oversight." Combined with 2025 enforcement funds, total ICE and CBP resources now reach $145 billion, according to Senate Democrats.
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