Thune on Republicans’ Plan to Fund ICE and Border Patrol Through Reconciliation

"[W]e are not going to join Democrats in their irresponsible refusal to fund key parts of the Department of Homeland Security… And to prevent Democrats from voting to defund law enforcement once again in September, we're going to fund border security and immigration enforcement for the next three years."

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune's remarks below (as delivered):

"Mr. President, one thing you can always count on is that Democrats have a lot of nerve.

"The Democrat leader has been out and about this week criticizing Republicans for taking up reconciliation legislation to fund border security and immigration enforcement.

"This was his quote: 'Republicans are dragging the Senate through a partisan circus, just to avoid basic accountability for ICE and Border … Patrol.'

"Let me repeat that, Mr. President: 'Republicans are dragging the Senate through a partisan circus.'

"Is he serious?

"Because the shoe is entirely on the other foot.

"Democrats, through their stubborn refusal to seriously engage in bipartisan negotiations - and their ultimate refusal to fund law enforcement at all - have forced us into a position where the only way we can fund law enforcement and border security is through reconciliation.

"Mr. President, a big priority of mine when I became leader was conducting appropriations through regular order.

"And despite Democrats' decision to shut down the entire federal government for 43 days in the fall, we were well on our way to passing all of the fiscal year 2026 appropriation bills - all 12.

"We had a bipartisan deal on DHS funding - DHS funding for the entire department - that included additional funding for body cameras for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, deescalation training, and increased oversight of ICE funding.

"But then Democrats reneged on that agreement.

"But did Republicans then move to reconciliation?

"Not at all.

"We bent over backward to reach a new deal with Democrats.

"The White House repeatedly - repeatedly - offered a robust package of reforms.

"And we spent weeks - weeks, Mr. President - trying to negotiate.

"But Democrats weren't interested in negotiation.

"A good example of that is one of the offers that was made by the White House wasn't responded to by Democrats for 18 days!

"Eighteen days we kept coming out here, saying, 'Come on, give us a counteroffer here. You want reforms? You want changes made? Let's sit down and figure that out.'

"Just more stall, delay, obstruct.

"Mr. President, I'd say they were interested in nothing but their exact list of demands with no compromises, but I strongly suspect, Mr. President, that Democrats were never interested in a deal at all.

"And in fact, after weeks of stonewalling, Democrats eventually made it clear that no deal was happening.

"Which meant that either Republicans acceded to Democrats' refusal to fund law enforcement and border security, or we pursued the only option left to us - which is funding law enforcement and border security through reconciliation.

"Mr. President, if Democrats want to be the party of defunding law enforcement and open borders, then so be it.

"But we are not going to join Democrats in their irresponsible refusal to fund key parts of the Department of Homeland Security.

"Democrats refused to fund the deportation of criminal illegal aliens - individuals guilty of things like murder, assault, and sexual crimes against minors.

"They refused to fund drug interdiction and efforts to fight human trafficking.

"They refused to fund border security.

"That's right.

"They refused to fund the Border Patrol.

"These are all critical security priorities.

"And so, Mr. President, Republicans are going to fund them through reconciliation because the Democrats have left us no other option.

"And to prevent Democrats from voting to defund law enforcement once again in September, we're going to fund border security and immigration enforcement for the next three years.

"Mr. President, if you want to see a partisan circus, look no further than Democrats' 43-day government shutdown in the fall.

"And remember what that was about, what that was over - it was over a clean, nonpartisan funding bill, and Democrats' shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security because they couldn't take yes for an answer.

"Our national security, the functioning of our government, the salaries of government workers - all have repeatedly been sacrificed this year thanks to Democrats' partisanship.

"Mr. President, I would say that the Democrat leader should be embarrassed by what his party has done to the federal government and to the Senate itself."

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