Updated on: March 24, 2026 / 7:33 PM EDT / CBS News
Washington — Senate Democrats said Tuesday they will keep pressing for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of any agreement to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, complicating Republican efforts to break the funding impasse.
“We have to rein in ICE and stop the violence,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a Capitol news conference, adding any return offer from Republicans “will contain significant reform.” Democrats have refused to fund ICE without changes following two deadly shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis in January.
Senate Republicans sent Democrats a formal offer Tuesday after a late-Monday meeting with President Trump that GOP senators described as promising. Sen. Katie Britt said the group “does” have a solution. But Democrats, after a caucus meeting, rejected the proposal as lacking ICE reforms.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the GOP offer would fund about 94% of DHS while withholding $5.5 billion for ICE’s deportation arm, Enforcement and Removal Operations. He emphasized that many reforms are “contingent on funding for ICE,” questioning how reforms could be demanded if funding is cut.
Top Senate appropriator Sen. Patty Murray said Democrats continue to push for “modest reforms” and that any changes must be written into law. She said meetings with the White House have been productive but criticized the president for complicating negotiations with public demands and shifting positions on social media.
President Trump on Monday urged Republicans not to make a deal unless DHS funding is linked to the SAVE America Act, his elections bill requiring proof of citizenship to register and photo ID to vote — legislation Democrats oppose. Trump told reporters Tuesday Democrats “broke the deal that we had,” and that he would reserve judgment on any agreement.
Republicans propose fully funding many DHS agencies — including TSA, FEMA and the Coast Guard — while excluding ICE deportation funds and then attempting to approve those funds, and parts of the SAVE America Act, through the budget reconciliation process. Reconciliation would allow passage by simple majority but is limited to measures with direct budgetary impact.
Some GOP senators have expressed skepticism about using reconciliation for the SAVE Act. Utah Sen. Mike Lee called it “essentially impossible” on X. Sen. Lindsey Graham acknowledged internal opposition but argued the stalemate must end, citing long airport security lines caused by TSA staffing shortages, and warned Democrats not to alter the GOP offer after White House talks.
Seiji Yamashita and Alan He contributed to this report.
