US House approves $70Bn immigration enforcement funding package

The US House of Representatives has approved a $70 billion funding package on a 214-212 vote despite Democrats' vows to oppose it.

The vote was a test for House Speaker Mike Johnson as he tries to cement one of President Donald Trump's top domestic priorities.

Its passage ends a month-long stalemate over immigration enforcement that has shut down parts of the Department of Homeland Security.

The package funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), both of which were left out of an earlier spending bill.

The $70 billion extends through the end of Trump's presidency.

"What we've done now by funding every three years is we've taken away their ability to cut that funding," Johnson said after the vote.

The package advanced out of the Senate last Friday, on a 52-47 vote with no Democratic support.

Republicans have a narrow majority in the House and could afford to lose only a handful of votes.

A 'blank cheque'

Rep. Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, called the package a "$70 billion blank check for ICE and border patrol, with no strings attached."

All Democrats opposed the measure.

Johnson huddled with Trump on Tuesday about ICE and CBP funding, as well as an attempt to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is due to expire June 12.

Privacy hawks on both sides of the aisle have called to amend the policy to protect US citizens.

Democrats are threatening to withhold support after Trump named Bill Pulte as director of national intelligence.

"Donald Trump, as he often does, tosses a hand grenade into those sensitive negotiations by elevating Bill Pulte," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

Some Republicans have also called on Trump to drop Pulte, with Rep. Don Bacon warning that letting FISA lapse would reflect a nation paralysed by hyper-partisanship.

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Source: TRT