Senate Republicans Advance $70B ICE, Border Patrol Funding

Senate Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted 50-48 in the predawn hours of April 23 to advance a $70 billion plan funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agencies for the next three years, moving closer to ending a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown that began in mid-February. Two Republicans, Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski, opposed the non-binding budget resolution, which now proceeds to the House of Representatives. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the measure will fund critical functions including law enforcement, drug interdiction, and border security, while Democrats accused Republicans of allocating billions to what Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called "Donald Trump's private army" without reforms. The funding crisis intensified after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January, prompting Democrats to demand that ICE and Border Patrol be subject to the same operational rules as domestic police forces, including requirements for judicial warrants before entering private homes. Despite weeks of negotiations, the parties reached a stalemate. Republicans have circumvented the usual 60-vote Senate threshold by employing budget reconciliation, a procedural tool that allows budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority. The party holds a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate, and the new funding would extend through the remainder of Trump's presidency ending in January 2029. The Senate vote followed a nearly six-hour "vote-a-rama" session during which Democrats offered amendments aimed at lowering healthcare costs, restoring food assistance, and protecting consumers from rising prices. All Democratic amendments failed, though some received support from Republicans facing competitive re-election races in November. The Senate previously passed legislation funding most DHS operations except ICE and Border Patrol, but that measure stalled in the House where hardliners demanded full funding for both agencies. Trump has directed DHS employees to continue working on a temporary pay basis while Congress works to resolve the funding impasse.