The federal judge who is blocking Trump’s efforts to deport Venezuelan gang members also played a key and controversial role in the Trump-Russia collusion saga as the leader of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

The Senate voted to reauthorize a powerful surveillance tool the U.S. government describes as critical to combating terrorism, after defeating efforts by civil liberties advocates on the left and right to rein it in.

The vote of 60-34 sends the bill to President Joe Biden, who has championed it. The legislation extends Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, for two more years.

 The U.S. Senate voted late on Friday night to approve the reauthorization of a controversial surveillance program, narrowly missing the midnight expiration of the program.

The reauthorization secures what supporters call a key element of the United States' foreign intelligence-gathering operation.

"Democrats and Republicans came together and did the right thing for our country safety," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

The United States Senate voted to reauthorize a surveillance tool early Saturday morning, despite objections from conservative and left-wing members.

The bill to reauthorize Section 702 passed by a 60-34 vote after six amendments were defeated. Support and opposition crossed party lines, with 17 Democrats and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont joining 18 Republicans in voting no. Opponents cited privacy concerns, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

The Senate reauthorized an anti-terrorism surveillance law just after midnight Friday, overcoming objections from lawmakers worried the revamp did not do enough to protect Americans’ privacy.

The Senate rushed to vote, 60 to 34, in favor of the two-year renewal, barely missing approving it ahead of the law’s midnight expiration. With the House having passed the bill last week, it was set to go to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature.

Senators in both parties are warning the expanded surveillance authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) could lapse after Friday because of a battle over amending the House bill, which has become a target of conservative Republicans and some Democrats.

Opponents of the bill could drag the Senate debate past the 11:59 p.m. Friday deadline, which threatens to cause a lapse in warrantless surveillance authority that some lawmakers warn could leave the nation exposed to an attack at a dangerous time.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) went after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday for forcing a tie vote against an amendment to a controversial spy bill, upsetting some of the most conservative Republicans.

Conservatives and progressives teamed up to demand an amendment the for reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) last week, which would have required a warrant for government spying on Americans. The amendment vote came to a tie after Johnson’s vote against it, tanking the change.

Fox News host Maria Bartiromo confronted House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, on Sunday on his change of heart when it came to a proposed amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Former President Donald Trump on Friday expressed support for House Speaker Mike Johnson when asked about GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s motion to oust the Louisiana Republican from his speakership.

Standing next to Johnson at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, “We’re getting along very well with the speaker, and I get along very well with Marjorie. We have a speaker who was voted in, and it was a complicated process. And I think very, it’s not, not an easy situation for any speaker.”

Former President Trump threw his support behind Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Friday as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill — threatens to force a vote on ousting the House leader.

Asked during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago if he supports Greene’s motion to vacate, Trump — while standing beside Johnson — said the Speaker is “doing a very good job.”