House Approves $70 Billion Funding Package for ICE and Border Patrol
The U.S. House passed a bipartisan-narrow vote to allocate roughly $70 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through 2029, bypassing Democratic demands for oversight reforms.
The House approved a funding measure that provides about $70 billion to the Department of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The bill passed 214-212 and uses the budget-reconciliation process, allowing it to avoid a filibuster and move forward without the reforms Democrats had sought.
The appropriations cover three fiscal years, ending in 2029, and include $38 billion for ICE, $22 billion for Border Patrol, $5 billion for border-security technology, and $350 million for enforcement in jurisdictions that do not cooperate with ICE. The funding is largely unrestricted, with few conditions on how the agencies must spend the money.
Democrats had blocked annual funding in an effort to press for changes such as requiring judicial warrants for home entries, prohibiting mask-wearing by officers, and mandating body-camera use. Those provisions were not included in the new package, and internal oversight offices received no new funding, although a separate April bill allocated $20 million for the DHS inspector general to monitor detention facilities.
Republican officials defended the measure as a continuation of normal budgeting. House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington said the funds represent “last year’s operating budget plus inflation” and are intended to prevent future funding gaps. Senator Lisa Murkowski, the sole Republican to oppose the Senate version, warned that multi-year appropriations “weaken the normal budgeting process” and limit congressional oversight.
ICE officials indicated they are preparing to expand operations with the new resources, citing plans for wearable headset displays and data tools. Immigration-rights groups expressed concern that the lack of statutory guardrails could reduce accountability and allow discretionary spending in areas without local cooperation.
The vote ends a 115-day standoff that began after federal officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis, a flashpoint that had prompted Democrats to withhold funding as leverage for policy changes. With the funding secured, the agencies will have resources to operate through the remainder of the current administration without additional congressional scrutiny.