Updated on: April 23, 2026 / 4:04 AM EDT / CBS News
Washington — The Senate adopted a budget resolution after an overnight string of votes, a key procedural step as Republicans move to fund immigration agencies under the Department of Homeland Security without Democratic support.
The resolution passed 50-48 just after 3:30 a.m. Eastern following about five hours of voting. Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska broke with their party and voted against the measure. It now goes to the House before lawmakers can craft and vote on the final funding bill. President Trump has set a June 1 deadline for final passage.
“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said.
Senate Republicans released the budget resolution and took an initial vote earlier in the week to begin using the reconciliation process to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection. Reconciliation permits passage of budget-related measures with a simple majority, allowing the GOP to advance the plan despite Democratic opposition. The Republican plan aims to keep the agencies funded for more than three years, covering the remainder of the Trump administration.
The resolution authorizes the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to draft legislation to increase spending by up to $70 billion each to support ICE and portions of CBP, though Republicans say the figure is intended to give committees flexibility. The final bill is expected to total roughly $70 billion.
Before adopting the resolution, the Senate conducted a “vote-a-rama,” during which senators offered numerous amendments and forced repeated roll-call votes. Voting on a series of Democratic amendments — many focused on cost-of-living issues — began shortly after 9:30 p.m. ET.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer previewed Democrats’ approach at a news conference, saying they would use votes to put Republicans on the record, particularly on affordability. “This will be a reconciliation of contrasts, and we are relishing that fight,” Schumer said, accusing Republicans of preparing to “shell out billions of dollars to Donald Trump’s private army without any common-sense restraints or reforms.” He added that Democrats want to address costs for everyday Americans.
Democrats lack the votes to block the GOP funding plan. Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate, and while most legislation requires 60 votes to advance, the reconciliation route allows passage with only a simple majority.
DHS funding became a flashpoint after two deadly shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. Democrats insisted on reforms to immigration enforcement agencies as a condition for supporting additional funding. The department shut down on Feb. 14 amid the impasse. After weeks of negotiations failed to produce an agreement on reforms, Senate leaders opted last month to fund most of DHS through the regular appropriations process but left out funding for ICE and some CBP components.
The House has not yet taken up the Senate-passed funding for the bulk of DHS. House Republicans say they need assurances that ICE and CBP will be funded and are waiting for the Senate to move forward with reconciliation. DHS remains shut down, though President Trump has ordered that employees be paid temporarily.
Thune told reporters he is hopeful the House will act soon, noting agency officials warn that funding could run out next month. “I think that message is being delivered and hopefully will be received, and we can get moving forward with making sure those agencies are funded,” he said.
The effort hit a late snag when Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana pressed for changes to the process, seeking inclusion of an election-related GOP bill known as the SAVE Act and several affordability provisions. Kennedy ultimately lifted his hold and allowed the voting to proceed, while warning that this would be the last opportunity for a reconciliation bill. “This is the last train leaving the station,” he said, urging action on measures that would help Americans with cost-of-living concerns.