The Senate voted 53‑46 along party lines to advance the GOP’s $70 billion immigration enforcement package. While the bill funds ICE and CBP, several Republican senators demanded an amendment that would bar President Trump from resurrecting a proposed $1.8 billion “retribution” fund for self‑declared victims of government persecution. The vote initiates a marathon vote‑a‑thon ahead of a Thursday cloture in a tightly watched showdown.

Republicans had just stripped $1 billion from Trump‑funded White House ballroom upgrades, a move that sparked a brief intra‑party revolt. Senators Tillis, Cassidy and Cornyn, all facing vulnerable re‑election bids, said their support for the reconciliation bill hinges on codifying Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s claim that the fund is dead. Their push signals an unusual GOP challenge to the president on the upcoming Senate calendar.

Democrats promise to force a vote on the fund, tying it to a broader settlement that shields Trump’s family from IRS audits. With midterms looming, the amendment could force a showdown that tests Trump’s willingness to veto legislation supported by his own party. The Senate’s next steps will determine whether the $1.8 billion scheme is permanently blocked for the administration’s broader agenda.