During the overnight “vote-a-rama,” the Senate passed a budget resolution early Thursday morning to fund both federal immigration agencies part of the Department of Homeland Security: Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The resolution was adopted in a 50-48 vote shortly after 3:30 a.m. Eastern.
Notable votes and non-votes included Republicans Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who voted against the resolution. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) did not participate in the vote, according to reports. The resolution now moves to the House for approval. If it passes, Congress will work to finalize a funding bill that will be voted on in the House and the Senate. However, it remains uncertain what will happen in the House, or if it will vote on the resolution “in its current form.”
The process began on Wednesday night with a series of votes in the Senate. Democrats proposed multiple amendments unrelated to funding DHS, instead focusing on healthcare costs, the Associated Press reported. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticized Republicans for focusing on funding DHS rather than rising healthcare costs.
“Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs,” said Schumer.
Meanwhile, Thune looked forward to the complicated task of trying to assure the Senate’s budget resolution would be accepted in the House and ultimately approved so that DHS funding could recommence.
DEMOCRATS PINCH REPUBLICANS ON AFFORDABILITY WITH SENATE ‘VOTE-A-RAMA’
“We have a multistep process ahead of us,” said Sen. John Thune (R-SD). “But at the end, Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies.”
The Republican plan to fund ICE and DHS includes $70 billion to keep both agencies fully operational through 2029, according to multiple sources. However, several hurdles remain moving forward, including efforts to add other initiatives to the funding resolution and to pass the SAVE America Act.
President Donald Trump set a June 1 deadline for Congress to pass the final funding bill.