Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats want serious reforms to DHS and ICE, but some Republicans argue that their true motive is to defund immigration operations entirely. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
"Every single Senate Democrat voted yes," Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said. "That’s how radical Democrats have become. The Senate rightly rejected this amendment. The Sanders Amendment exposes Democrats’ open borders goals."
That money came from President Donald Trump's marquee "big, beautiful bill," which shoveled billions to DHS for immigration operations, ensuring the agency is flush with cash for the next three to four fiscal years, regardless of congressional Democrats’ desires to defund it.
Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital that the money from the "big, beautiful bill," wasn’t going anywhere. Britt is leading talks for Senate Republicans over the issue.
"That’s not up for negotiation," Britt said.
SCHUMER, JEFFRIES MEND RIFT, PRESENT UNITED FRONT ON DHS REFORMS AS DEADLINE NEARS
Customs and Border Protection police officers stand outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during a protest on Jan. 17, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., balked at the new proposal, and said that "there’s just a bunch of stuff in there that’s a nonstarter."
"They know that. Now maybe they had to put it in there to satisfy MoveOn.org, or some other special left-wing special interest groups," Thune said. "But there are a few things that actually there's probably some room to move on there to negotiate on, but a lot of that stuff, obviously just wasn't serious."
Republicans are also mulling turning to another short-term funding patch, given that as of Thursday, their last day in session, they had just eight days left on the clock before the current continuing resolution (CR) for DHS ran out.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
But Democrats aren’t keen on supporting another extension — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., warned that Thune and Republicans "shouldn’t count on our votes."
He also pushed back against grumbling Republicans, arguing that negotiations wouldn’t move along unless Republicans revealed what they wanted in return.
"They have to get their act together," he said. "We spent three days diligently, seriously coming up with a comprehensive, commonsense plan that police departments throughout the country use. Where are they?"
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-warn-democrats-ice-reform-push-cover-defund-border-enforcement