GOP Eyes $70B for ICE

Senate Republicans pushed a budget plan through the chamber early Thursday to steer about $70 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. (reuters.com) The Senate adopted the nonbinding budget resolution by a 50-48 vote after an overnight vote-a-rama, with all Democrats present opposed and Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voting no. (reuters.com) (cnn.com) The plan is a first step, not the money itself. Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham’s resolution tells the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to write a later bill that can move under budget reconciliation, which needs only a simple majority instead of 60 votes. (cnbc.com) (nbcnews.com) Republicans say the package would fund the two agencies for three years, through the rest of President Donald Trump’s term. GOP aides told The Hill they expect the final bill to total roughly $70 billion to $80 billion, even though the budget instructions allow more deficit increase on paper. (nbcnews.com) (thehill.com) The fight is tied to the partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, which has stretched since mid-February. Democrats have refused to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection without policy changes after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents earlier this year in Minneapolis. (nbcnews.com) (cnbc.com) That standoff has split the reopening strategy in two. The Senate has already passed a bipartisan bill to reopen the rest of Homeland Security, but House Republican leaders have said they will not take it up until the Senate advances the ICE and Border Patrol track too. (nbcnews.com) (thehill.com) Democrats used the overnight amendment votes to force debate on prices for housing, groceries and health care instead of immigration spending. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Republicans were choosing to write what he called a “blank check” for enforcement agencies without new guardrails. (nbcnews.com) (cnbc.com) Republicans argued the opposite. Graham said the goal was to “fully fund Border Patrol and ICE,” and Majority Leader John Thune said the multistep process would keep Democrats from defunding agencies Republicans call essential to border security. (cnbc.com) (nbcnews.com) The next test is in the House, and then with the Senate parliamentarian, before committees can turn the blueprint into an actual reconciliation bill. Thursday’s vote gave Republicans the path they wanted, but not yet the money they are trying to lock in. (nbcnews.com) (forbes.com)