Congress has approved a historic $70 billion immigration enforcement package, sending the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.
For immigrants across the U.S., this staggering funding indicates a dramatic escalation in detention, deportation, and surveillance capacity.
The bill funds U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the remainder of Trump’s term, ending a months-long shutdown standoff.
It passed the House 214-212 and the Senate 52-47, without any support from Democrats.
What changes for immigrants?
The funding marks triple the amount of the annual budget of ICE, with $38 billion for hiring, training, and equipping agents. This means more worksite raids, more arrests, and ultimately faster deportations.
Moreover, the bill offers $22 billion for Border Patrol, $5 billion for AI-powered surveillance technology, and $350 million for enforcement in “non-cooperation” localities.
Moreover, third, and perhaps more importantly, the funding will be sustained until 2029. In contrast to yearly legislation, there is nothing in this bill that mandates the use of body cameras, judicial warrants to conduct searches, or reports on the treatment of immigrants held in detention centers.
2026-06-10 18:37:00
