Senate Republicans are moving quickly to advance a targeted, GOP-led plan to fully fund border security operations, aiming to meet President Donald Trump's June 1 deadline amid an ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding standoff.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Thursday that Republicans intend to keep the forthcoming reconciliation bill "as narrow as possible," focusing on funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), The Hill reported.
"Everybody is, I think, singularly focused ... around the things we have to do on the border, on ICE and CBP," Thune told reporters, emphasizing that a streamlined approach will speed passage and ensure broad Republican support.
The strategy reflects a broader two-track plan backed by Trump and GOP leadership.
Under that approach, Congress would first pass a bipartisan measure to fund most of DHS — excluding key enforcement components — while Republicans separately use the budget reconciliation process to secure full funding for border operations without Democrat support.
Budget reconciliation allows Republicans to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold, making it a key tool as Democrats continue to oppose additional immigration enforcement funding.
According to Politico, the Senate has sent its bipartisan DHS funding bill back to the House, marking a step toward ending what has become a historic partial government shutdown.
However, that measure leaves out ICE and portions of CBP funding — a sticking point for many conservatives.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has signed on to the two-step strategy after initially rejecting the Senate bill, though resistance remains within the House GOP conference.
Meanwhile, Trump has underscored the urgency of the situation, pledging to take executive action to support DHS employees affected by the funding lapse.
The president said he will soon sign an executive order to ensure all DHS personnel are paid despite the shutdown, reinforcing his administration's commitment to border security.
"Republicans are UNIFIED, and moving forward on a plan that will reload funding for our FANTASTIC Border Patrol and Immigration Enforcement Officers," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
Thune acknowledged that some Republicans may attempt to attach additional priorities, such as defense spending or policy reforms, to the reconciliation bill.
But he cautioned that expanding the scope could slow progress and jeopardize the timeline.
"There are things out there that obviously many of us are interested in," Thune said, but noted that a border-focused bill "is probably not a likely magnet for all these other issues."
The stakes are high as Republicans seek to deliver on a central campaign promise: restoring strong border enforcement.
Supporters argue that focusing the bill on ICE and CBP funding ensures resources go toward stopping illegal immigration and protecting American communities.
With Trump's June 1 deadline looming, GOP leaders are racing to finalize the reconciliation framework and push it through Congress, a move they say is essential to ending the shutdown and securing the border.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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