After weeks of wrangling, Republicans advance ICE and Border Patrol funding in the Senate

The Senate voted to advance a Budget Reconciliation bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol through 2029. The vote was along party lines, 53 in favor and 46 opposed, advancing the package to debate.

The legislation, which has the approval of the Senate Republican leadership, has a cost of $70 billion. Debate on the bill remained stalled for several weeks as Republicans debated what provisions to include and what to leave out.

One of the main reasons for the delay was President Donald Trump's initiative to create a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies vetted during the Biden Administration.

However, following criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it would drop the idea. "We are not going forward with the fund. Period," stated Todd Blanche, acting attorney general.

Some Republican senators are still wary of the possibility that the White House will again insist on the fund. Thom Tillis (R-NC) suggested he might vote against it if an amendment prohibiting the creation of the fund is not added.

As a bill advanced through Budget Reconciliation, it only needs a simple majority (50+1) to make it out of debate, while a run-of-the-mill bill would need at least 60 votes.

"Right now, the goal is to get the base bill across the finish line, and so hopefully all of our members who have amendment ideas will … keep in mind the need that we’ve got to keep the bill together and make sure we’ve got 50 votes for it at the end," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a statement.

A final vote is expected to come once senators vote to end debate.