# Senate Republicans advance $70B immigration enforcement bill amid late-night amendments  
**Published:** 2026-06-04T20:49:42.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/us-senate-launches-marathon-session-to-pass-nearly-70b-for-ice-border-patrol/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/senate-republicans-advance-70b-immigration-enforcement-bill-amid-late-night

Senate Republicans on Thursday advanced a nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement funding bill through a marathon amendment process, fending off Democratic challenges to controversial provisions while pushing to end a months-long partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

The chamber spent hours voting on amendments during the second phase of the budget reconciliation process, which [allows Republicans to bypass the normal 60-vote threshold needed for most legislation](https://www.npr.org/2026/04/23/g-s1-118330/congress-dhs-spending-reconciliation). [Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., joined his Republican colleagues in voting for the budget resolution with full funding for Border Patrol and ICE](https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-issues-statement-after-republicans-unite-around-bill-to-protect-nebraskans-pay-border-patrol-and-ice/), saying Democrats had "shut down the Department of Homeland Security for over 110 days this Congress."

Democrats proposed amendments aimed at blocking what they viewed as problematic policies, including an attempt by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to prevent the Justice Department from using $1.776 billion to pay people claiming to be wrongly prosecuted. The amendment failed 49-50, with three Republicans—Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Jon Husted of Ohio—breaking ranks to support it.

The contentious "anti-weaponization" fund became a focal point of debate after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced earlier this week that the administration had scrapped the plan, though President Trump later expressed uncertainty about the decision. "Trump won't give Americans a penny to help offset the skyrocketing costs he brought on our country," Schumer said during debate.

A separate amendment from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., sought to require congressional authorization for Trump's White House ballroom renovations. The procedural objection from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., succeeded 53-46, preventing the measure from advancing. [Democrats also proposed amendments aimed at reducing healthcare and household costs, seeking to contrast Republican priorities on immigration](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-vote-a-rama-gop-funding-ice-without-democrats/).

The DHS has been partially shut down since mid-February after Democrats demanded reforms to immigration enforcement agencies following [fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents in Minneapolis in January](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-vote-a-rama-gop-funding-ice-without-democrats/). Republicans control 53 Senate seats, allowing them to move the bill without Democratic support under reconciliation rules. The measure now advances to the House, where Republican leaders have said they will not consider broader DHS funding until the ICE and Border Patrol appropriation is resolved.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/us-senate-launches-marathon-session-to-pass-nearly-70b-for-ice-border-patrol/)
- [NPR explanation of budget reconciliation process](https://www.npr.org/2026/04/23/g-s1-118330/congress-dhs-spending-reconciliation)
- [Senator Ricketts statement on immigration enforcement funding](https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-issues-statement-after-republicans-unite-around-bill-to-protect-nebraskans-pay-border-patrol-and-ice/)
- [CBS News coverage of Senate vote-a-rama on ICE funding](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-vote-a-rama-gop-funding-ice-without-democrats/)
- [Colorado Springs Gazette on Senate immigration enforcement vote](https://gazette.com/2026/06/03/senate-begins-voting-on-funding-immigration-enforcement/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/04/repub/us-senate-launches-marathon-session-to-pass-nearly-70b-for-ice-border-patrol/.