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Trump scores victory despite growing GOP divide after Senate passes $70B ICE, Border Patrol funding package
Senate scraps border and ICE funding vote
Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on the pushback against President Donald Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization fund’ on ‘The Bottom Line.’
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Senate Republicans managed to stitch together a unified front to advance President Donald Trump’s roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement package, but divisions over the president’s agenda were laid bare after a marathon day of votes.
Passage of the budget reconciliation package geared toward funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three and a half years closes a long, drawn out chapter in the Senate that began during the longest shutdown in history.
It’s a point that Senate Republicans tried to return to throughout the day, reiterating that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats had forced their hands after refusing to fund immigration operations without a plethora of reforms.
DOZEN GOP REBELS FAIL TO PERMANENTLY KILL TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND
President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
«Democrats would not agree to anything, and eventually they walked away altogether, presumably because they thought that it would serve them better to have an issue for November,» Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.
But the day, and preceding weeks, were dominated by a growing rift between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration that threatened to blow up the process altogether.
First, it was the inclusion of $1 billion in funding for security upgrades to Trump’s ballroom, which was later stripped out.
Then, it was the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement that a nearly $2 billion «anti-weaponization» fund was being launched to allow people who felt targeted by the government to make a claim from the pot of taxpayer money.
GOP ADVANCES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE AFTER FORCING TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND INTO RETREAT
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy questions National Institutes of Health Director Jayanta Bhattacharya during a hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 3, 2026. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Several Senate Republicans worried that the money could be accessed by Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who were convicted of assaulting police.
Schumer and Democrats leaned into that open wound and spent much of the marathon, «vote-a-rama» vote series trying to spell a permanent end to the fund, despite acting Attorney General Todd Blanche vowing that the administration would no longer pursue it.
«Do we believe that Donald Trump, who has lied to us day in and day out, do we believe that he will be able to resist getting his sticky fingers in the slush fund when it would benefit himself and his family? No way, no way,» Schumer said.
GOP LEVERAGES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE TO MAKE TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND ‘NEVER EXIST’
Many of the amendments pushed by Democrats placed Republicans in tough bids for reelection, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, into politically challenging positions.
Republicans tried to kill it, too, causing tensions on the Senate floor to rise.
«It’s not that tense,» Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. «I mean, I’ve seen worse. Nobody’s stabbed anybody yet.»
Still, the process nearly came to a grinding halt because of the fund at the start of the marathon vote series when Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and others wanted to ensure that GOP attempts to end the fund would get a vote, too.
«I just wanted to optimize the chances of success,» Cassidy said of the delay.
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Ultimately, despite a dozen Republicans voting for Sen. Thom Tillis’, R-N.C., amendment, and X voting for Cassidy’s, all attempts to thwart future bids to revive the fund failed.
The ballroom also came back into the picture when six Republicans joined Senate Democrats to prevent construction on the colossal structure from going forward without congressional approval.
Then there was an attempt by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to attach the SAVE America Act to the reconciliation package, which met Republican resistance and ultimately failed, too.
The package now heads to the House, where Republicans are expected to pass it by the end of the week.
politics, immigration, republicans elections, john thune, senate elections, democrats senate
INTERNACIONAL
Los precios del petróleo suben ante la preocupación por los planes de reapertura del estrecho de Ormuz
El precio del petróleo subió este viernes en medio de nuevas preocupaciones por la apertura del estrecho de Ormuz, luego de que Irán, en coordinación con Omán, propusiera prohibir el paso de buques considerados hostiles y aplicar fuertes multas a quienes violen las reglas propuestas. El régimen persa mantiene un cierre de facto de la vía marítima estratégica desde el 28 de febrero de 2026.
Los futuros del crudo Brent, de referencia europea, ascendieron 80 centavos, o 0,97%, hasta 83,29 dólares el barril, mientras que el West Texas Intermediate (WTI) de Estados Unidos subió 64 centavos, o 0,83%, hasta 77,93 dólares.
El jueves, los futuros del petróleo cerraron con un alza superior a los 3 dólares por barril después de que Irán analizara un proyecto de ley para prohibir el paso de buques estadounidenses e israelíes por el estrecho de Ormuz, canal donde transitaba cerca de una quinta parte del petróleo y gas natural licuado mundial antes del inicio de la guerra en Medio Oriente a fines de febrero.
Los precios habían caído a principios de semana ante la posibilidad de una solución al conflicto, pero el Brent superó los 80 dólares el jueves tras haber caído por debajo de ese umbral por primera vez desde el 13 de julio. Ambos referenciales se encaminan a cerrar la semana con una caída cercana al 8%.
Las tensiones entre Irán y Estados Unidos mantienen la atención del mercado energético tras la presentación de un borrador de plan iraní que propone restringir el tránsito por el estrecho de Ormuz.
Analistas coinciden en que las hostilidades entre ambos países persisten. Lin Ye, vicepresidente de mercados de materias primas y petróleo en Rystad Energy, explicó que la reciente reacción de los precios del petróleo está vinculada a la difusión del plan iraní. “El detonante inmediato es más específico, está reaccionando al plan publicado por Irán para las condiciones de tránsito en Ormuz, que prohibiría buques estadounidenses e israelíes y exigiría a otros países ‘hostiles’ pagar compensaciones antes del paso”, declaró Ye en diálogo con Reuters. El ejecutivo remarcó: “Eso no es el mercado descontando un mal acuerdo, es la confirmación de que lo que surja será un corredor gestionado o condicional, no una restauración del flujo normal”.
Un legislador iraní informó que una comisión parlamentaria evalúa un proyecto preliminar que prohíbe el tránsito de barcos estadounidenses, israelíes y de otras naciones consideradas hostiles por el Parlamento de Irán. Este proyecto prevé multas de hasta el 20% del valor de la carga para quienes violen estas restricciones, informó la agencia Fars.
Según un alto funcionario iraní, Irán aspira a cobrar tarifas de entre el 5% y el 7% del precio de las cargas a los buques que utilicen el estrecho. Por su parte, Omán discute fijar tarifas cercanas al 3%, mientras que Washington rechaza cualquier tipo de cobro. Cuatro fuentes del sector consultadas por Reuters advirtieron que el acuerdo propuesto enfrenta dificultades de implementación debido a las sanciones de Estados Unidos y a las cláusulas restrictivas de seguros sobre cualquier pago.
Vandana Hari, fundadora de la consultora Vanda Insights, afirmó que “las señales de esta semana sobre un posible acuerdo de tránsito Irán-Omán han causado oscilaciones en la percepción del mercado, pero hasta ahora dejan sin claridad qué condiciones se necesitan para concretar el entendimiento”.
En paralelo, los hutíes de Yemen informaron sobre ataques con misiles y drones contra “despliegues sauditas” en las regiones de Marib y Hadramout, según reportó Reuters. El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, declaró el jueves ante periodistas que considera que “la guerra terminará pronto”.
(Con información Reuters)
Europe
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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., cruised to victory in a GOP primary on Thursday evening in a race to replace outgoing Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
With the nomination in tow, Blackburn is likely to become the next governor in the Volunteer State — a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to its top executive role since 2006.
Lee, who has served in the role since 2019, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. He last won reelection in a 64.9% to 32.9% victory over Democratic challenger Jason Martin, a businessman and doctor.
DEMS RALLY AROUND BEST HOPE TO DEFEND GOVERNOR’S MANSION FROM GOP TAKEOVER
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is running for governor in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Bill Lee. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Notably, Lee did not endorse anyone in the three-way Republican race for the 2026 nomination but noted that he had a close relationship with Blackburn when she announced her candidacy.
«I’ve been friends with Marsha for a long time, and she served as my congressman and representative in the General Assembly. I’m proud we have really good people running for governor in this state,» Lee told local outlets.
Blackburn, for her own part, promised to continue focusing on issues that Republicans have made centerpieces to the GOP platform in Washington, D.C.
She highlighted immigration as one such issue.
«As governor, I’ll deport illegals, stop the flow of drugs and drug money. We will crack down on Cartels, restrict cash transfers to drug havens and hit criminals and illegals where it hurts — in their wallets,» Blackburn said in a campaign video.
Blackburn also promised to prevent China from buying up Tennessee land, punctuating her commitment with a viral ad where she crushed a fortune cookie.
«It doesn’t take a fortune cookie to figure it out. Here in Tennessee we’re going to stop communist China and protect Tennessee land,» she remarked.
President Donald Trump also did not issue an endorsement in the race, saying that he had ties to one of Blackburn’s challengers: Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn.
TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN’T BACKING DOWN
Sen. Marsha Blackburn walks out of the Senate Chambers during a vote at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on October 27. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Rose, an 8th-generation farmer and the millionaire founder of Transcender Corp., an IT certification company, has served in the Tennessee legislature since 2019. In his gubernatorial campaign, he pitched himself as a homegrown candidate focused on local solutions to local problems.
«I know that anything is achievable in Tennessee because I have lived it. Now, I’m asking for you to give me the chance to bring opportunity to all Tennesseans,» Rose said in a campaign video.
On his website, Rose highlighted five key areas of focus, including education, infrastructure, healthcare, energy and economic and community development.
A third candidate, State Rep. Monty Fritts, had run on a more aggressive, small-government platform.
«My number one priority is leaving more money in your pockets, in your purses and in your country bankrolls rather than sending it to Nashville,» Fritts said in a campaign video.
On his website, Fritts touted positions like shrinking the size of Tennessee’s budget, protecting citizen rights against encroaching government power and increasing parent input in education.
Fritts attracted controversy earlier this year when, as part of his campaign, he called for a ban on mosques and other «pagan religions.»
5 MEXICAN CARTEL BOSSES CHARGED IN WEAPONS, DRUG TRAFFICKING, TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEMES, DOJ SAYS
State Capitol Building Nashville Tennessee USA. (Photo by: Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
«Islam is a little different story than perhaps other religions are, in that it’s not necessarily a religion; it’s a political movement,» Fritts said. «It’s that movement that, if you don’t submit, perhaps you are executed. I feel that Islam is incongruent with both our U.S. and Tennessee Constitution,» Fritts told local outlets.
Having cleared the primary, Blackburn will run in the state’s general election on Nov. 3 against her Democratic opponent, Memphis City Councilwoman and Chief Public Defender Jerri Green.
gubernatorial, tennessee, politics
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