Democrats Poised Once Again to Vote Against Funding Law Enforcement

As Republicans Advance Funding for Border Security and Federal Immigration Law Enforcement, Democrats Are Set to Once Again Vote to Defund the Police

DEMOCRATS HAVE SHOWN NO APPETITE TO VOTE FOR BORDER SECURITY FUNDING THIS ENTIRE CONGRESS

Even before this week’s votes on the Secure America Act, Senate Democrats blocked extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 17 times during their 76-day partial government shutdown and have refused to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through either the bipartisan appropriations process or through continuing resolutions. (S.Con.Res. 33: Roll Call Vote #105 – 4/23/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #38 – 2/12/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #39 – 2/24/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #47 – 3/5/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #54 – 3/12/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 172 No. 30 – 2/12/26; The Hill: Senate Democrats block bill to fund DHS, spurning increased GOP pressure – 3/5/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 172 No. 45 – 3/11/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 172 No. 46 – 3/12/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 172 No. 49 – 3/18/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record – Vol. 172 No. 50 – 3/19/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #59 – 3/20/26; H.R. 7147: Roll Call Vote #71 – 3/25/26; U.S. Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 172 No. 56 – 3/25/26)

And last summer, Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) began threatening that he and his caucus would not take part in the regular appropriations process: “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is warning Republicans they'll risk a government shutdown all alone,” telling Republicans not to expect “business as usual.” (Axios: GOP cuts trigger Democratic warnings on government shutdowns – 7/9/25; The Hill: Republicans fear Washington headed for shutdown after bruising spending fights – 7/21/25)

Due to the lack of any Democrat support to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the regular appropriations process, Republicans’ Secure America Act provides a total of $38 billion for ICE and $26 billion for Border Patrol. Specifically, the bill:
- “Provides $19.1 billion to hire, train, pay, and equip Customs and Border Protection personnel through Fiscal Year 2029.”
- “Provides $7.5 billion to hire, train, pay, and equip Homeland Security Investigations personnel through Fiscal Year 2029 to support domestic law enforcement investigations.”
- “Provides $3.5 billion for improvements to border security through Fiscal Year 2029, including air and marine operations and efforts to combat drug trafficking, as well as screening persons entering or exiting the country.”
- “Provides $2.5 billion through Fiscal Year 2029 to the Department of Homeland Security to ensure adequate funding for border security across the board.” (U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs: Chairman Paul Releases HSGAC Portion of Reconciliation Text – 5/4/26)

- “Fully funds the immigration enforcement missions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through 2029, providing CBP $13.02B to hire, pay and train personnel, while carrying out its mission of securing the border and protecting American communities from illicit drugs and contraband.”
- “Fully funds the immigration enforcement missions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through 2029, providing ICE $31.075B to support the brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep Americans safe from violent criminals and potential terrorists.”
- “Boosts law enforcement and immigration enforcement efforts through 2029, providing DHS $2.5B to ensure the department’s critical national security and law enforcement work isn't further interrupted by Democrats’ radical, defund-the-police agenda.” (U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Updated Text of the Secure America Act – 6/3/26)

DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN CLEAR THEY DON’T PRIORITIZE THE SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY OR THOSE WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO KEEP AMERICA’S BORDERS SECURE

“You’re here, adding $140 billion to an agency that nobody- to two, two, two groups – Border Patrol and ICE – that nobody respects in this country.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

During President Biden’s tenure, there were 10.5 million migrant encounters along the southwest border, including known gotaways. (CBP: Southwest Land Border Encounters – accessed 6/3/26; Fox News’ Bill Melugin: post on X – 8/20/24)

Illegal border crossings hit record levels under Biden, averaging 2 million per year from 2021 to 2023. (The Washington Post: Trump vs. Biden on immigration: 12 charts comparing U.S. border security – 2/12/24)

Under the Biden administration, there were over 12,600 migrant encounters on a single day, a record for the southern border. (Fox News: Southern border hit by record number of migrant encounters in a single day as thousands flood into Texas – 12/19/23)

“After Mr. Biden became president, migrant encounters at the southern border quickly doubled, then kept rising. New arrivals overwhelmed border stations, then border towns, and eventually major cities like New York and Denver.” (The New York Times: How Biden Ignored Warnings and Lost Americans’ Faith in Immigration – 12/7/25)

Democrats have been clear about where they stand in terms of not wanting to support border enforcement officers and have pledged to block funding at every turn:
- “Democrats [are] just getting started.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
- “Defund and abolish ICE.” – Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
- “I was out in the hallways a week ago, and a reporter asked me a reasonable question. She said, do you think Democrats overplayed their hand in the negotiations over the DHS budget? Did you ask for too much, thus prompting the moment that we are in today as we do something unprecedented, debate using reconciliation to appropriate money for the ongoing expenses of the federal government? My answer was a confident no.” – Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

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