Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is pushing to fund immigration enforcement agencies separately from the Homeland Security budget to address airport delays and staffing issues caused by the partial government shutdown.
GOP Immigration Funding Plan
On Saturday, Cruz proposed carving out funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from the larger Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, reported The Hill.
He argued the move could bypass a political stalemate with Democrats and help restore government operations more quickly.
Cruz said Democrats have made reaching a comprehensive agreement difficult, suggesting Republicans could fund immigration enforcement through the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority in the Senate.
“What I’ve suggested is that the Democrats have gotten so extreme and unreasonable that I don’t know that they will ever be willing to fund Department of Homeland Security,” Cruz told The Hill.
He added, “Let’s fund ICE and CBP through reconciliation… and the Democrat lunacy on open borders can be put to an end.”
The shutdown has strained airport security, with some Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers missing paychecks and increased absenteeism contributing to delays of up to four hours at major airports during peak spring break travel.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said he is open to incremental steps to resolve the impasse, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) signaled a preference for a broader bipartisan agreement.
TSA Pay Crisis And Lawmaker Responses
Elon Musk offered to cover TSA paychecks during a federal funding lapse that left airport screeners unpaid, as airports like Denver and Seattle-Tacoma provided grocery cards and food pantries for staff.
Musk called it a nationwide airport issue, not a single-location problem.
Lawmakers also explored reallocating funds from President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, originally for ICE and CBP, to keep TSA agents paid.
Leaders Thune and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) were open to the idea, while Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) stressed the shutdown’s impact on air travel and suggested separate TSA funding.
In January, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) vowed to block DHS funding without major immigration enforcement reforms, citing recent fatal shootings by Border Patrol and ICE officers.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
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