John Thune is pushing Republicans to move ahead with a narrow Homeland Security funding plan after bipartisan talks stalled in Washington. The effort centers on money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, with Democrats still demanding restrictions on federal immigration enforcement. As of Tuesday in Eastern Time, Republicans were preparing to try a partisan route that would bypass Democratic support.
Republicans prepare to move “the hard way”
John Thune said Tuesday that Republicans will try to pass the money “the hard way, ” a line that captures just how far apart the two parties remain on the shutdown fight. The department has been shut down for almost two months, and Democrats are insisting on changes they say would rein in immigration authorities, including better identification for federal officers and more use of judicial warrants.
For now, the Republican plan is built around budget reconciliation, a maneuver that allows passage with a simple majority in the 53-47 Senate. That path is complicated and time-consuming, but it gives GOP leaders a way to move without Democratic votes. John Thune and other Republican leaders say their goal is speed: reopen the department quickly and keep the bill focused on Homeland Security funding alone.
Pressure builds inside the GOP
The challenge for John Thune is that the narrower the bill, the easier it may be to move — but also the harder it may be to hold the conference together. Some Republicans want to attach other priorities, while others are looking at cuts elsewhere to help cover the cost, which could be around $75 billion.
That list of possible additions is already crowding the agenda. Trump has been pushing his strict proof-of-citizenship bill, the SAVE Act. The White House could soon request billions of dollars for the Iran war. Farm-state senators want to advance a broad farm bill to support the agricultural economy. Republicans have also said they may need a second partisan budget reconciliation bill later to deal with some of those issues, though many in the conference doubt that can happen this year.
Thune, Barrasso, Graham and Trump align on a deadline
John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican, and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham discussed the strategy with Trump during a White House meeting Friday. Barrasso said afterward that Trump set a deadline of June 1 to get a focused reconciliation bill to his desk that funds ICE and Border Patrol. Trump then signaled support on his social media site, writing that Republicans were moving fast and focused on keeping the border secure.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, pushed back hard, saying Americans want ICE and Border Patrol reined in. That leaves John Thune and GOP leaders trying to force a vote under pressure, with Democrats refusing to give ground and Republicans trying to keep the bill narrow enough to move. The next step is whether John Thune can hold enough Republicans together long enough to reopen Homeland Security without reopening the entire fight all over again.
