Budget reconciliation is a special process Congress can use to pass certain tax, spending, and debt-related bills more quickly. Unlike most legislation in the Senate, a reconciliation bill cannot be blocked by a filibuster, so it can pass with a simple majority vote of 51 instead of 60.
The process begins with Congress adopting a budget resolution that gives committees instructions on what financial changes to make. Because reconciliation is intended for budget matters, rules limit what can be included in a bill.
Early in the morning on June 5, the Senate voted 52-47 to pass a reconciliation bill that provides $70 billion over the next two and a half years to fund border security and interior immigration enforcement.
The bill earmarks $38.5 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and $26 billion for Customs and Border Protection. An additional $5 billion in flexible funding is also set aside for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that can be used for a range of border-security and immigration-enforcement needs across the department. The money is not dedicated to a single agency or program, giving the Homeland Security secretary broader authority to direct it where needed.
Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, says calls this "an important step forward."
"It is going to prevent the Democrats from holding the Department of Homeland Security's budget hostage to their demands that no immigration enforcement take place," he tells AFN. "The $70 billion will fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection through the end of the current administration and ensure that they can carry out the agenda that the American public voted for in 2024."
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.
The House appears poised to take up the bill soon, with some reports indicating leadership could bring it to the floor this week if Republican vote counts hold. It is expected to pass quickly and be signed immediately by President Trump.
