The US Senate has approved a $70 billion funding bill for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), significantly increasing resources for immigration enforcement operations across the country.
The legislation is aimed at expanding detention capacity, hiring additional enforcement officers, and strengthening deportation and border control operations.
Supporters of the bill argue that the funding is necessary to address what they describe as rising irregular migration and to improve the capacity of immigration enforcement agencies to manage cases more efficiently.
However, critics say the large funding boost could lead to expanded detentions and tougher immigration policies, raising concerns among civil rights groups about due process, detention conditions, and the treatment of migrants.
The bill’s passage in the Senate marks a key step in the federal budget process, but it still requires approval from the House of Representatives before it can become law.
Lawmakers are expected to debate the measure further as immigration remains one of the most contentious political issues in the United States.