The US Senate passed a $69.5 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday.

The Details: The package will allocate $30.73 billion to ICE, $22.57 billion to CBP, and $2.5 billion to DHS. It expires at the end of President Donald Trump's term in 2029. The 52-47 vote marks the end of a DHS funding freeze that began in February, and it is expected to pass in the House next week. The package received no Democratic support, and Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) joined in dissent. Murkowski contested Republicans' use of the budget reconciliation process to overhaul Democrats' filibuster.

RELATED: Partial Government Shutdown Ends, DHS Funding in Limbo | AllSides

How The Media Covered It: News outlets across the political spectrum highlighted Republicans' intraparty divisions – specifically criticism from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). The Guardian (Left bias) said Republicans "spent almost a full day haggling," and Fox News (Right) said they "managed to stitch together a unified front… but divisions over the president's agenda were laid bare after a marathon day of votes." Fox quoted Republican Sen. John Kennedy (LA), who quipped, "I've seen worse. Nobody's stabbed anybody yet." The Hill (Center) reported on the "ferocious battle" among senators as well, but it also highlighted an approved provision spearheaded by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (MO) to combat child exploitation. Daily Caller (Right) noted an instance of Democratic unity, in which Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (PA) expressed, "I'm going to vote with my party."

For Context: Trump initially gave Congress until June 1 to pass the bill before facing bipartisan challenges to his "Anti-Weaponization Fund." An amendment to block the fund failed, as did others to restore funding to the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (a watchdog for immigration enforcement abuses), block construction of the White House ballroom, and establish the "SAVE America Act."

RELATED: Tracking Trump's Campaign Promises on the Federal Budget | AllSides

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Elias Irizarry, who pleaded guilty in connection with the January 6 Capital riot and later received a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump, was appointed to work in the Department of Defense's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office. 

The appointment drew differing reactions across the media, with coverage focusing on national security concerns, Irizarry's rehabilitation following January 6, and whether his qualifications outweigh his past actions.

Questions Of Trust: The Washington Post (Lean Left bias) cited officials "familiar with the office" who said the role can place personnel in "some of the most complex and dangerous environments we ask of them" and argued that giving someone with "such a checkered background" that position raises "serious questions for leadership."

Redemption After January 6: Newsweek (Center) examined Irizarry's actions since January 6, including his guilty plea, public expressions of remorse, and subsequent graduation from The Citadel, a historic military college in South Carolina. The article noted that Irizarry described January 6 as a "disgrace" and said he was "ashamed" of his participation before later returning to The Citadel and graduating in 2024. 

 Qualifications Over Past Mistakes: The Washington Examiner (Right) was one of the few sources on the right that covered the story, focusing largely on the Pentagon's defense of the hiring and description of Irizarry as a "qualified, patriotic young professional" who officials were "proud to have as a political appointee."

Details: 

• Irizarry pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building following the Capital riot and was sentenced to 14 days in jail.
• At the time of the riot, he was a freshman cadet at The Citadel. He later returned to school and graduated in 2024.
• Trump pardoned him in 2025 as part of a clemency action covering a majority of January 6 defendants.
• The appointment comes as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over its broader approach to January 6 rioters. 

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California vote counting is slated to take days or even weeks to finalize, while President Donald Trump accuses the state of cheating and the FBI is investigating election fraud.

"Dumocrats Are At It Again": Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday saying "The Dumocrats are at it again! They are trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS."

Why Counting Votes Is Taking So Long?: BBC (Center bias) and ABC News (Lean Left) asked the question of why it takes so long for California to count votes. Both outlets highlighted that California is the most populous state in the country, "home to 23 million registered voters." ABC said with this amount of people, it "requires ample time for all ballots to be accurately counted." The article also said that "in addition to the sheer volume of votes, the state also relies on a significant number of mail-in ballots, with some not arriving until a week after voting ends." Both outlets mentioned Trump's remark saying Democrats are "trying to steal" the elections in the state, however ABC also said that Trump has "railed against California mail-in ballots for years, with the president often accusing, without evidence, the voting method of being 'rigged' to benefit Democrats." This, according to ABC, "comes despite Trump himself casting a mail ballot earlier this year."

Election Fraud Investigations: The New York Post (Lean Right) highlighted the announcement from Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor saying, "his office is pursuing several election fraud investigations with the FBI as questions swirl over California's sluggish vote count." First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X saying "California's election system has serious structural vulnerabilities. Universal vote-by-mail with no voter ID requirements creates conditions where fraud can go undetected and unpunished, eroding public confidence." The article also highlighted a post by Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Justice Department's assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, saying "Ask yourselves—why does California (& many other states) hide their voter rolls from the federal government at the same time they gladly hand them over to liberal activist groups?!"

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