The Two Republicans Who Split from Party as GOP Opens Path to ICE Funding

(SeaPRwire) –   The Senate has approved a budget resolution designed to pave the way for funding immigration agencies, in a move to conclude the two-month shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The measure passed in a 50-48 vote early Thursday, with nearly all Republicans supporting the GOP proposal that could lead to the approval of approximately $70 billion in extra funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.

Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the notable exceptions, siding with Democrats in opposition to the resolution.

Sen. Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, took issue with the financial details, advocating for spending reductions in other areas.

“Congress ought to fund border security, but we should be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and fully pay for the $70 billion to secure our borders,” he stated on the Senate floor.

Paul proposed an alternative amendment that called for eliminating $5 billion in refugee welfare, cutting over $45 billion in foreign aid, reducing the National Science Foundation’s budget by almost $4 billion, and decreasing Department of Education funding by 16%.

“These reductions would be made in just one fiscal year and would fully pay for border security,” he asserted.

Paul has a history of diverging from his party on fiscal issues.

In February 2025, he was the sole Republican to vote against a resolution from Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina that would have authorized up to $175 billion for implementing Trump’s border security agenda through the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.

He also voted against Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was passed by the Senate last July after Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote.

His stance, justified by “fiscal conservatism,” prompted criticism from Trump, who labeled Paul on Truth Social as “a sick wacko, who refuses to vote for our great Republican Party.”

Sen. Murkowski, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, did not immediately issue a statement on her negative vote, but she has been a consistent critic of the Trump Administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.

“The tragedy and chaos the country is witnessing in Minneapolis is shocking,” she remarked in January following the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.

Murkowski contended that the incident should “raise serious questions within the Administration about the adequacy of immigration-enforcement training and the instructions officers are given on carrying out their mission.”

The Senator from Alaska had also voted with Democrats earlier this year to withdraw funding from ICE.

Similar to Paul, her departures from the party line have provoked Trump’s anger.

Following the early Thursday vote, the legislation now proceeds to the House of Representatives.

If the budget framework is approved, it will enable congressional committees to start crafting separate bills detailing the allocation of the $70 billion, which would subsequently require President Trump’s signature to become law.

The funding is anticipated to last for three years, aligning with the conclusion of Trump’s term in January 2029.

“The 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,” stated Sen. Graham.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized that a “multistep process ahead of us” remains, but expressed optimism to reporters that the House will act promptly, especially as DHS officials warn that funds will be exhausted next month.

However, Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree on the best path forward.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the budget resolution, claiming that “nobody respects” ICE and Border Patrol.

“When America’s crying out for real relief on the skyrocketing cost of living, Republicans are spending another $140 billion on Trump’s private militia, on these two rogue agencies that have no restraint,” he contended.

Trump called for an apology regarding the statement on Thursday, denouncing it as “one of the most egregious, incorrect, unpatriotic, and dangerous statements” he had ever heard from a politician.

Funding for the majority of DHS expired in late January after Democrats halted financing in protest of the Administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which led to the fatal shootings of Pretti and another U.S. citizen, Renee Good, by federal agents.

This partial shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history, exceeding 60 days and causing operational issues for several agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), where staffing shortfalls have created lengthy airport queues.

In March, Senate Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement to fund DHS while excluding funding for ICE and certain components of Border and Customs Patrol (BCP). House Republicans, however, turned down the agreement, stating they would not back any legislation that failed to fund immigration enforcement.

Trump provided temporary funding for the agency through executive action, but concerns remain that if funding expires again before DHS is fully operational, U.S. travelers could face a resurgence of long airport lines and major delays.