GOP leaders push forward without Democratic support while internal divisions in the House threaten to prolong the funding impasse.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senate Republicans are advancing a plan to fund immigration enforcement agencies without Democratic backing as a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown approaches its second month, according to a Fox News report.
With support from Donald Trump, GOP lawmakers are turning to the budget reconciliation process to secure funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection for the remainder of the president’s term. The approach allows passage with a simple majority, eliminating the need for Democratic votes, but requires full unity among Republicans.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and Lindsey Graham, who chairs the committee responsible for initiating reconciliation in the Senate, met with Trump on Friday to coordinate the strategy. Following the meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “Reconciliation is ON TRACK, and we are moving FAST and FOCUSED.”
“Radical Left Democrats like Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem ‘High-Tax’ Jeffries, will do their best to stop us, but we don’t need their votes on this Bill, as long as Republicans UNIFY, and stick together,” Trump stated, adding that he wants the legislation completed “no later than June 1st.”
Graham said the effort is focused on producing a targeted bill to fund immigration enforcement operations through the end of Trump’s presidency. “The reconciliation train is on the tracks,” he said during a television interview. “We’re gonna have a very specific bill coming out before June 1 that will fund the Border Patrol and ICE for the entire presidency.”
The move comes amid an ongoing funding standoff that has left parts of the Department of Homeland Security partially shut down for 58 days. The Senate previously passed a funding measure that included provisions for ICE and certain CBP operations, but the House has yet to act on the legislation.
House Republicans remain divided over how to proceed. Some members are pushing for progress on a reconciliation package before voting on any short-term funding bill, while others prefer to address all DHS funding through reconciliation alone. Leadership under Mike Johnson is reportedly waiting for concrete action from the Senate before bringing the measure to a vote.
Failure to reach agreement in the House could extend the shutdown further. The funding lapse affects multiple DHS components, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Coast Guard, as well as cybersecurity operations.
Barrasso urged swift action from the House to restore full funding. “I would recommend that the speaker of the House take it up and pass it as soon as possible,” he said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining operational capacity across homeland security functions.
He also criticized Democrats for opposing funding measures, stating that Republicans intend to resolve the situation through reconciliation. “It’s critical to get FEMA up again,” Barrasso said. “The Coast Guard, cybersecurity, all those things are necessary.”
As lawmakers return to Washington, the timeline for both the reconciliation effort and any interim funding agreement remains uncertain, with the duration of the partial shutdown dependent on whether Congress can align on a path forward.