Dems Will Get *Zero* of the ICE Reforms They Had Been Demanding

Here’s where we stand.

The Good: President Trump is paying TSA agents, and the current bill the Senate just sent over to the House re-opens DHS. ICE and Border Patrol will continue arrests and deportations, being primarily funded through the OBBB. Democrats did not succeed in…

— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 27, 2026

… sabotaging border and immigration enforcement in any substantive way.

The Bad: the Senate goes on a two week recess without passing the SAVE America Act, stand-alone voter ID, or funding all of DHS through the normal process. Democrats threw a wrench into our efforts to deliver on issues which enjoy broad support among the American people.

The Ugly: Congress, especially the Senate, cannot skate by relying on President Trump to solve all our problems. Republicans have to justify their majorities by fighting for permanent policy victories, not can-kicking with unrealistic reconciliation promises. If we do not stand and fight today, we will not inspire Americans in November.

Because Senate Democrats didn’t end up accepting the Republican offer on DHS funding & negotiations fell apart yesterday, Dems will get *zero* of the ICE reforms they had been demanding, including ones that GOP had already agreed to, like showing ID, increased Congressional…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 27, 2026

… oversight, agreements to not hit sensitive locations, etc.

These reforms were the reason Dems started the shutdown in the first place, and now instead of getting a few concessions on their demand list, they get none.

The only thing they secured was no funding for CBP & ICE, which are largely already funded via the OBBB, and Republicans will seek to fund them even further without Dem votes in reconciliation instead.

As for the Dem’s demand list on ICE reforms?

“That ship has sailed,” Sen. Majority Leader John Thune said this morning. “They kissed that opportunity goodbye by failing to provide funding for those agencies.”