![\"Senate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/91d9e8c60643c8d48197f9f8c0b85c2a.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\nTopline<\/p>\n
Senate 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.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
Anadolu via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
Senators 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 $70 billion to ICE and Border Patrol to keep them funded for the next three years.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Senate also rejected an effort by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) to add portion of the SAVE America Act\u2014the Trump-backed proof of citizenship voting bill\u2014but 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 it.<\/p>\n
Crucial Quote<\/p>\n
After the measure was passed, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, wrote on X<\/a>, \u201cThe vast majority of Republicans stuck together to do something Democrats are refusing to do: Fully fund the Border Patrol and ICE for three and a half years through the Trump presidency\u2026Democrats\u2019 refusal to fund ICE and Border Patrol at a time of growing threats to our nation is one of the most irresponsible decisions I\u2019ve witnessed since I\u2019ve been in the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n Chief Critic<\/p>\n Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., the senior most Democat on the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement<\/a> saying: \u201cDuring an all-night vote-a-rama, Democrats offered amendment after amendment to correct the course of this bill and meet the needs of working families. From amendments that would bring down the cost of groceries, gas, and utility bills to banning hedge funds from buying up single-family homes\u2014every single time\u2014Republicans voted to block them.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Background<\/p>\n Last month, the Senate unanimously approved legislation<\/a> to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Democrats have refused to vote in favor of funding for the two agencies that have overseen President Donald Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown. The party has demanded that any funding for these agencies should come with reforms and guardrails after two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota. However, Republicans in the House rejected the legislation<\/a> passed last month because it didn\u2019t include funding for immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n