Senate Adopts "Eye-Watering" Enforcement Funding Framework

Plus, a protest in Sackets Harbor, an op-ed from ICE detention by Mahmoud Khalil, and more.

Good morning! Late last night, we reported that Senate Majority Leader John Thune authorized committees to pursue a staggering $521 billion in immigration and defense funding. Overnight we learned that, of the total, $345 billion is earmarked for immigration—split between the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security—as a placeholder to accommodate Trump’s deportation agenda.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who led the effort, and Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) both told us the final number for enforcement spending would be closer to $175 billion, but Democrats aren’t buying it. “They’re trying to pull one over on us,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) pointed to “expensive mistakes” behind the ballooning enforcement request, which Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) called “eye-watering.”

In the end, no immigration amendments were considered during an overnight Senate vote-a-rama that stretched until nearly 3 a.m. Eastern, when the chamber passed the budget framework with 51 votes. …