Senate Republicans Advance $70 Billion Border Security Package

Senate Republicans advanced a nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement package Wednesday afternoon after it cleared its first procedural vote with unanimous GOP support. The measure funds border and ICE operations but now faces amendments aimed at the Department of Justice's nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, which was created last month as part of a settlement.

Both parties have signaled they will offer changes to ensure the fund cannot be revived. Senate Republican leadership said it hopes to defeat the amendments during the vote-a-rama but acknowledged that success is not guaranteed. If an amendment targeting the fund passes under a simple-majority threshold, the package could lose its reconciliation privilege and require 60 votes to advance.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said conversations with members are ongoing to protect the bill's status.

“I feel good going into it." Sens. Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy have each prepared amendments addressing the fund. Tillis said any amendment that touches the issue would satisfy his concerns as long as it does not jeopardize the underlying bill's procedural path. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso placed primary responsibility on Democrats for introducing unrelated issues during debate. Leadership said it remains possible to address the fund outside the reconciliation process if needed.”

“The Democrats continue to talk about everything they want to talk about, except actually securing the border and protecting the American people." Cassidy, who Trump successfully just ousted from office, didn’t say which route he would prefer, but wanted "something which just makes it sure that somebody doesn't change their mind in the White House, it doesn't come back." Tillis contended that there were enough Republicans with concerns over the fund that something needed to be done, but wanted it to be a GOP-led initiative. He’s not picky about whether his amendment gets a shot either. "I don't care about my own personal amendment," Tillis said. "There's a few out there, as long as one touching on the issue gets there. I'm not gonna slow leadership down. I wouldn't do anything to make it as corrosive to the underlying bill so that it loses privilege. But we gotta do this.”