Senate Republicans Pass Budget Plan In First Step To Fund ICE And Reopen DHS

BreakingBusinessSenate Republicans Pass Budget Plan In First Step To Fund ICE And Reopen DHSBySiladitya Ray,Forbes Staff. Siladitya Ray is a New Delhi-based Forbes news team reporter.Follow AuthorApr 23, 2026, 04:42am EDTApr 23, 2026, 04:43am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.ToplineSenate Republicans narrowly passed a budget resolution early on Thursday morning in their latest effort to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and bypass the Democratic filibuster to help fund the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks at a press conference with other members of Senate Republican leadership following a policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol.Anadolu via Getty ImagesKey FactsSenators voted 50-48 to adopt the budget resolution at around 3:30 a.m. with GOP Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joining all Democrats in voting against the measure.The budget reconciliation process allows Republicans to pass the measure through a simple majority and circumvent the Democratic filibuster, but it is more complex and allows Democrats to force a series of amendment votes.The budget framework will need to be approved by both the House and the Senate Parliamentarian to proceed, but if the GOP succeeds, it will grant ICE and Border Patrol an additional $70 billion to keep them funded for the next three years.In a series of quick votes as part of the so-called vote-a-rama, Democrats unsuccessfully pushed amendments to lower health care costs, restore SNAP benefits, and other measures to tackle rising costs.The Senate also rejected an effort by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) to add portion of the SAVE America Act—the Trump-backed proof of citizenship voting bill—but this was also rejected with Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voting against...