TRUMP SIGNS $70BN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACT INTO LAW

Donald Trump signed the Secure America Act into law on Wednesday, committing nearly $70bn to immigration enforcement operations through September 2029. The House of Representatives passed the legislation by 214 votes to 212, largely along party lines. Kevin Kiley, an independent who aligns with the Republicans, voted against the bill alongside all Democrats. The Senate had approved the measure the previous week.

The act allocates $38bn to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $26bn to Customs and Border Protection, and $5bn to the broader Department of Homeland Security. Trump signed the legislation at the Oval Office, stating it would fund the DHS through the remainder of his term. A White House statement described the act's purpose as providing resources to secure the border, combat human trafficking, halt drug flows, dismantle criminal cartels, and enforce immigration laws. Democrats had consistently opposed the legislation, particularly following the expansion of ICE operations across American cities.

The signing resolves a funding impasse that began in January, when Democrats announced a blockade after federal agents killed two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in Minneapolis during an operation targeting undocumented immigrants. Democratic attempts to negotiate changes to federal immigration enforcement practices proved unsuccessful. The boycott had previously prevented passage of legislation authorising funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security. The act now guarantees operational funding for ICE and border patrol activities for the duration of Trump's presidency.