Senate takes first step to fund ICE, Border Patrol in bid to cut Dems out of the funding process

Senate Republicans launched their party-line gamble Tuesday to fund immigration operations for the remainder of President Donald Trump's time in office.

The GOP took its first step in the budget reconciliation process, which is meant to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three-and-a-half years. The party-line vote sets up a forthcoming marathon vote on amendments in the upper chamber before the budget blueprint is shipped to the House.

It’s a maneuver meant to cut Democrats out of the process, as they refused to fund immigration operations absent stringent reforms during weeks of negotiations to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.

SENATE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL IMMIGRATION FUNDING PLAN WITH $140 BILLION PRICE TAG AS GOP AIMS TO SPEND LESS

Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke to the media outside the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol after the Senate passed a Department of Homeland Security funding bill by unanimous consent on April 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"Republicans are doing something that must be done quickly, and that our Democrat colleagues are trying to prevent us from doing," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who crafted the resolution. "That something is simple: fully fund Border Patrol and ICE at a time of great threat to the United States."

Republicans earlier unveiled their budget resolution, which will serve as the guiding framework as the GOP moves forward to fund immigration enforcement. It sets instructions for the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to spend up to $70 billion each.

While the combined sum of $140 billion is eye-popping, Republicans are eyeing between $70 billion and $80 billion as the final total for immigration enforcement and want to give both committees maximum flexibility as they craft the legislative meat of the package.

Senate Democrats argue that the money could go toward tackling affordability issues in the country, citing healthcare, housing, and soaring gas prices stemming from President Donald Trump’s war in Iran as examples.

SENATE GOP READYING PARTY-LINE FUNDING BILL DESPITE DIVISIONS, ANGER AT THE HOUSE

President Donald Trump spoke to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on April 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"No reforms, no accountability, no strings attached, let it sink in," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. "One hundred forty billion for ICE, $0 to lower your costs. That's these days what the Republican Party seems to stand for. Senate Republicans are choosing to follow Trump and Stephen Miller instead of the needs of the American families."

Turning to the party-line process to fund immigration operations was not the first choice for Republicans, but one made out of necessity given Democrats’ blockade of funding for ICE and much of CBP.

Still, some are worried about the precedent that could be set for how Congress is supposed to fund the government.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., raised that concern and argued, "I don't see any way, in a Trump administration, that they're gonna come to the table and fund those two agencies."

SENATE REPUBLICANS RACE TO FUND ICE, CBP WITHOUT DEMOCRATS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks at a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"We tried to avoid this. But at some point, we recognized that they're just not gonna get to ‘yes,’" Thune said. "And that was pretty clear after spending weeks trying to negotiate with them."

Still, Republicans have a long way to go before they advance the budget resolution to the House — and even further before the final product lands on Trump’s desk. He’s demanded that the GOP produce the package no later than June 1.

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Not every Republican in the upper chamber is thrilled with the narrow scope of the plan, with some wanting to front-load several issues into one package out of concern they may not get another shot.

For now, however, they’re moving full speed ahead.

"It’s not am I OK with it, is the president's administration OK with it," Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a fiscal hawk who was critical of the GOP's previous reconciliation attempt. "I mean, do they think they have enough through fiscal year 2029? That's their call, not mine."