04.23.26

One Step Closer to Ending Democrats’ Dangerous Defund-the-Police Shutdown

As Democrats Turn Their Backs on Law Enforcement, Passage of Republicans’ Targeted Budget Resolution Is a Huge Step Toward Funding Border Security and Immigration Enforcement for Years to Come

THIS IS THE SECOND TARGETED BORDER SECURITY BUDGET RESOLUTION THIS CONGRESS WHERE SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE TRIED TO DISTRACT FROM DISCUSSING THEIR DISASTROUS RECORD ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

  • Last year, when the Senate considered a targeted budget resolution for border security funding, Senate Democrats did everything they could to distract from the mission of funding President Trump’s successful border security efforts. (Senate Majority Leader: Democrats Would Rather Talk About Anything Other Than Border Security – 2/20/25; Senate Majority Leader: Republican Action vs. Democrat Distractions – 2/21/25)
  • During consideration of this budget resolution, Democrats tried to block funding for federal law enforcement and forced votes on unrelated, nongermane provisions to the budget resolution.
    • Senate Democrats forced a vote on a provision that would have made it impossible to pass targeted funding for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). (Amdt. 4799 to S.Con.Res. 33: Roll Call Vote #89 – 4/22/26)
    • Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced an amendment that would prevent full funding for Border Patrol and ICE unless the federal government funds school lunch programs nationwide. (Amdt. 4884 to S.Con.Res. 33: Roll Call Vote #93 – 4/22/26)
    • Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) introduced an amendment on tariffs and the U.S. military operation against Iran, another attempt to distract from the narrow focus of Republicans’ border security reconciliation effort. (Amdt. 4956 to S.Con.Res. 33: Roll Call Vote #94 – 4/22/26)
  • At the end of the day, not a single Democrat voted to actually fund Border Patrol or ICE. (S.Con.Res. 33: Roll Call Vote #105 – 4/23/26)

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, SENATE DEMOCRATS CONTINUE DEMEANING THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SECURED THE SOUTHERN BORDER

  • Just before the vote-a-rama began, Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) outright attacked the hardworking men and women of Border Patrol and ICE:
  • Throughout the course of this debate, Senate Democrats have made clear their disdain for the law enforcement officers who secure our border and keep communities safe from criminal illegal immigrants:
    • “I urge all of my colleagues to oppose, to strongly oppose this reconciliation bill, which is simply an effort to stuff an illegal agency like ICE at the expense of the American people.” – Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
    • “You can bet Democrats will be pushing every single minute to stop this massive waste of time and money…” – Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
    • “Neither ICE nor the Customs and Border Patrol needs more money.” – Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
  • While some Democrats have tried to claim that they oppose defunding law enforcement, their rhetoric and record show the truth: Democrats are the party of defunding the police.
    • Shot: “I’ve not heard one Democrat say ‘Defund ICE.’” – Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) (4/22/26)
    • Chaser: “Defund and abolish ICE.” – Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) (2/26/26)
    • “Steve Israel, former chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the party learned the hard way that slogans like ‘abolish ICE’ and ‘defund the police’ alienated centrist and independent voters.” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)
    • “That has not stopped some Democrats from resurrecting the slogan — which became popular with some progressives during Trump’s first term — particularly those involved in tough primaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, where they are trying to win over the party’s left.” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)
    • “Democratic Senate candidates in Illinois and Michigan have also used the phrase [“defund ICE”]…” (The Washington Post: Democrats want to ‘reimagine’ immigration enforcement. Just don’t say ‘abolish ICE.’ – 1/31/26)

TIME AFTER TIME, DEMOCRATS HAVE REFUSED TO FUND BORDER SECURITY, ATTEMPTING INSTEAD TO DRAG THE COUNTRY BACK TO THE DAYS OF PRESIDENT BIDEN’S BORDER CRISIS

  • “Democrats won’t vote for ICE and CBP spending…” (Punchbowl News: AM: Reconciliation 2.0: Challenges, Opportunities and Tensions – 4/2/26)
  • Even before this week’s vote on the budget resolution, Senate Democrats blocked extending funding for DHS 16 times during their nearly 70-day shutdown and have refused to fund ICE and CBP through either the bipartisan appropriations process or through continuing resolutions. (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)
  • Every single Senate Democrat last year also voted against the Working Families Tax Cuts law, which provided crucial funding for the Trump administration’s plan to secure the border in response to President Biden’s border crisis. (H.R. 1: Roll Call Vote #372 – 7/1/25; The Washington Post: Trump vs. Biden on immigration: 12 charts comparing U.S. border security – 7/28/24)
  • The contrast between Republicans’ and Democrats’ results on the issue of border security could not be more clear:
    • 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 4/23/26; Fox News’ Bill Melugin: post on X – 8/20/24)
    • U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border in March were 8,268, “97% below the peak of the Biden administration (December 2023).” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Trump Administration Delivers 11 Straight Months of Zero Releases at the Border – 4/9/26)
    • Also this past March, CBP announced that for the 11th consecutive month, zero people were released at the southern border. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Trump Administration Delivers 11 Straight Months of Zero Releases at the Border – 4/9/26)
    • “The massive drop does come as the Trump administration has sent more resources to the border, worked to end humanitarian paroles and similar programs and scaled back on refugee entries.” (Axios: Illegal border crossings hit decades low under Trump crackdown – 7/15/25)
  • If there was any question that Democrats proudly own the damage they have done, both to the regular-order appropriations process and to the security of America’s southern border, take it from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.):
    • “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.)