Breaking News: In a dramatic all-night Senate session, Republicans passed a budget resolution that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol for the rest of Donald Trump's presidency — bypassing Democratic opposition entirely through budget reconciliation. The 50-48 vote ends months of political deadlock but sets up a new battle in the House.
What Happened
After a marathon vote-a-rama that dragged from Wednesday night into the early hours Thursday, the Senate adopted a GOP budget blueprint to provide roughly $70 billion to fund immigration enforcement agencies through President Trump's term. This comes as the Department of Homeland Security has faced a record-breaking partial shutdown, after Senate Democrats refused to fund the department unless major policy changes were made following the deaths of two US citizens at the hands of federal agents earlier this year.
Key Details
The Vote. The measure advanced 50-48 just past 3:30 AM Thursday, with all but two Republicans voting in favor.
The Total Funding. The budget resolution allows Congress to send ICE and Border Patrol up to $140 billion, though Republican leaders expect to spend roughly half of that — about $70 billion — to fund the agencies through the rest of Trump's presidency.
The Reconciliation Workaround. Republicans used budget reconciliation — a tool that allows some budget-related bills to bypass Democratic opposition — requiring only a simple majority rather than the usual 60 votes needed in the Senate.
Why Republicans Are Front-Loading. Republicans want to lock in the funding now out of concern that Democrats would never agree to allocate taxpayer dollars to ICE again — even if Republicans lose the House in November.
DHS Payroll Crisis. DHS Secretary Mullin warned that the department's payroll money will run out the first week of May. "My payroll through DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks. The money is going extremely fast," he said.
The Two Republicans Who Broke Ranks. Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski voted no. Trump called Paul "a sick wacko" on Truth Social for citing fiscal conservatism concerns. Murkowski had previously expressed alarm over ICE accountability after the Minneapolis shooting deaths in January.
Democrats Fight Back. During the vote-a-rama, Democrats offered amendments targeting healthcare costs, food assistance, childcare, and prescription drug prices — all designed to put Republicans on the record against affordability measures ahead of November midterms. All failed.
What Comes Next. The budget measure goes to the House, which must also adopt the resolution. Some House Republicans want to add other priorities — which could complicate Senate passage. Trump's deadline for the final bill is June 1.
Why It Matters
The decision to use budget reconciliation to fund ICE without Democratic input is one of the most consequential procedural moves of Trump's second term. It guarantees the administration's mass deportation apparatus will be fully funded through 2029 — regardless of November's midterm results.
Democrats' counter-strategy was to use every failed amendment as a midterm campaign weapon — forcing Republicans on the record against healthcare cost relief and food assistance eight months before the election.
Latest Updates
✅ Senate passes budget resolution 50-48 after all-night vote-a-rama
✅ Plan provides ~$70 billion for ICE and Border Patrol through 2029
🔴 Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski break Republican ranks
🔴 DHS payroll running out — crisis point expected first week of May
🔴 Budget resolution now heads to House
🔴 Some House Republicans want to add other priorities
✅ Trump's deadline: Bill on his desk by June 1
🔴 Democrats to use every failed vote as midterm campaign material
Conclusion
Republicans just cleared the Senate's most important procedural hurdle to lock in ICE and Border Patrol funding for the next three years. The battle now moves to the House, where Republican unity is less certain. Trump wants it done by June 1. The DHS payroll clock expires the first week of May.
One way or another, the next two weeks will determine whether Trump's deportation machine stays fully funded — or faces its first genuine financial crisis.
Stay with us for live updates as the House takes up the budget resolution.Read More...
FAQ
Q1: What did Senate Republicans
pass to fund ICE?
Senate Republicans passed a budget
resolution 50-48, approving a framework
to send roughly $70 billion to ICE and
Border Patrol through Trump's term in 2029.
Republicans used budget reconciliation
to bypass the need for Democratic support.
Q2: Why has DHS been partially
shut down for 10 weeks?
DHS funding lapsed after Democrats refused
to fund the department without new
accountability measures on immigration
enforcement — triggered by two US citizens
being fatally shot by ICE agents in
Minneapolis in January 2026. Both sides
failed to reach a compromise after
weeks of negotiations.
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