Republicans unlock filibuster-skirting power to pump billions of dollars to ICE

An unrelated revolt over the farm bill almost tanked a White House-backed, two-step plan to end the 10-week-old DHS shutdown.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) arrives for the ceremonial swearing-in of a new House member at the U.S. Capitol on April 20, 2026. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images) | AP

House Republicans succeeded late Wednesday in harnessing the special budget power to advance up to $75 billion for the immigration enforcement agencies Democrats refuse to fund without new guardrails — bringing Congress closer to ending the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

The vote was held open for more than five hours as lawmakers sought concessions from Speaker Mike Johnson around the farm bill, using the budget resolution as leverage. Finally, the chamber voted 214-212-1 to approve the fiscal blueprint the Senate advanced last week, unlocking the ability to draft and pass a party-line package containing tens of billions of dollars for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, a California Independent, voted “present.”

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