Senate Republicans push through budget plan to fund border enforcement after all-night vote

Senate Republicans cleared a major hurdle early Thursday morning, adopting a budget resolution after an intense overnight voting marathon. The move unlocks a path for Congress to pass a reconciliation package next month that would direct $70 billion toward immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE and Border Patrol. The late-night session, which stretched past 3 a.m., saw GOP leaders use their slim majority to block a series of Democratic amendments aimed at addressing healthcare and childcare costs.

The budget resolution is designed to revive operations at the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down since mid-February. Without full funding, many of its functions have been scaled back or suspended, creating delays at ports of entry and limiting deportation proceedings. Republicans argue that restoring funding is critical to maintaining border security, especially as illegal crossings remain a top concern for voters.

Throughout the night, Democrats offered dozens of amendments targeting everyday expenses-like insulin prices and rent-hoping to shift focus toward economic pressures facing households. None passed. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the GOP strategy, saying the budget prioritizes enforcement over compassion and fails to address root causes of migration. "This isn't a border bill," he said. "It's a deportation bill."

Republican leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, defended the plan as a necessary step to uphold the rule of law and support federal agents on the ground. "We can't have a functioning immigration system if we don't fund the agencies tasked with enforcing it," Thune said on the floor. The resolution now heads to the House, where GOP leaders plan to take up the reconciliation bill in May.

The upcoming debate is expected to be contentious. While most Republicans back stronger border enforcement, some moderates have expressed concern about the scale of funding and the lack of accompanying reforms, like visa modernization or asylum processing improvements. Meanwhile, progressive groups are mobilizing against the plan, warning it could lead to more aggressive interior enforcement and strain already-overburdened courts.

The White House has not yet signaled whether President Trump would sign the eventual reconciliation bill, though senior aides have praised the Senate's action as "a strong step toward securing the border." Still, with midterm elections looming, both parties are keenly aware that the debate over immigration funding is as much about political messaging as it is about policy.

For now, the Senate's vote keeps the government on track to restore full operations at DHS by summer, assuming the reconciliation package passes. But with deep divisions remaining, the fight over how to manage the border-and who pays for it-is far from over.