Senate Republicans Pass $70 Billion Border Security Package
The measure passed without Democratic-backed reforms to immigration enforcement, as Republicans blocked a slew of proposed amendments.
Senate Republicans have approved a budget reconciliation measure providing approximately $70 billion in additional funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The funding comes on top of the $191 billion already allocated to the Department of Homeland Security under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) passed in July 2025, which included roughly $75 billion for ICE and $65 billion for CBP through September 2029.
Amendments Blocked
Republicans voted down several Democratic amendments during the budget process, including proposals to:
- Restrict a Department of Justice fund
- Bar funds for Trump's ballroom without congressional approval
- Prevent William Pulte from leading national intelligence while simultaneously heading another agency
Oversight Concerns
In February 2026, twenty-one Democratic senators requested a public accounting of how OBBBA funds have been spent. The demand follows revelations that:
Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem used $38 billion of OBBBA funds to purchase warehouses for detention centers; current Secretary Markwayne Mullin is considering selling some.
An Atlanta suburb has sued ICE, alleging the agency paid over five times the assessed value for a warehouse. The Congressional Budget Office noted that advanced appropriations make estimating the pace of spending difficult.
Detainee Deaths Rise
ICE has abandoned a Biden-era policy requiring reporting of detainee deaths within 30 days of release. At least 18 detainees have died in the first five months of 2026, following at least 30 deaths in 2025—the highest number in 20 years.
Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) reported being denied access to speak with detainees at Delaney Hall detention center in Newark and observed a woman in apparent distress with limited medical staff available.
Whistleblower Report
A whistleblower from the Social Security Administration reported that DOGE officials planned to mark 2.7 million immigrants as dead to encourage self-deportation.
According to the report, 6,100 mostly Latino immigrants were placed in the Death Master File.
Republican Priorities Questioned
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) stated that $70 billion could fund childcare, groceries, SNAP benefits, ACA subsidies, medical debt cancellation, or ending homelessness instead.
Secretary Hegseth's Speech
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking on the anniversary of D-Day, referenced the Great Replacement theory and described immigration as an "invasion" of European beaches.