Congress passes $70bn immigration crackdown — border security or cruelty?

Published Jun 9, 2026 · 21:25 GMT

Congress has now passed the $70 billion package to fund ICE and Border Patrol through 2029 — the House sent it to President Trump's desk after the Senate's narrow 52-47 vote — without banning Trump's controversial 'anti-weaponization' fund. Republicans call it securing the border; Democrats call it cruelty plus a slush fund.

The summary above is a neutral framing. Below, each side reports the same story in its own words — judge for yourself.

Republicans / Trump

Republicans hail the bill as finally giving ICE and Border Patrol the money to secure the border and carry out enforcement through the end of Trump's term.

Democrats / critics

Democrats and critics decry it as bankrolling a cruel mass-deportation machine — and note it leaves intact Trump's $1.8bn 'anti-weaponization' fund to compensate his political allies.

More in Politics

Politics Jun 11

UK defence secretary resigns over military spending, in blow to Starmer

Defence Secretary John Healey quit on June 11, publishing a resignation letter that accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Treasury of failing to fund the armed forces adequately at a dangerous moment. The government's side is the fiscal case: defence spending is already rising at a record pace, but must be balanced against strained public finances, weak growth forecasts and competing departmental demands.

Politics Jun 10

Trump downsizes US intelligence under interim chief Pulte: overdue reform, or politicizing the spies?

President Trump has directed interim national intelligence chief Bill Pulte to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and is sticking with him despite a looming lapse in surveillance powers. The administration frames it as cutting a bloated bureaucracy; critics — Democrats and even some Republicans — call Pulte, a Trump loyalist with no intelligence background, unqualified and warn the move politicizes US intelligence.

Politics Jun 7

Hegseth's D-Day speech: defending the West, or insulting allies?

At a D-Day commemoration, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of an 'invasion' and 'dangerous ideologies' over European immigration. Supporters call it plain talk; European leaders call it grotesque.