U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, said on Apr. 23 that the recently passed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Resolution by Senate Republicans does not address the needs of working families.
The passage of this budget resolution is significant because it enables a reconciliation bill to provide up to $140 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The decision has sparked debate over funding priorities in Congress.
Merkley said, “During an all-night vote-a-rama, Democrats offered amendment after amendment to correct the course of this bill and meet the needs of working families. From amendments that would bring down the cost of groceries, gas, and utility bills to banning hedge funds from buying up single family homes—every single time—Republicans voted to block them.”
He further stated, “Republicans are so hellbent on passing a bill to give up to $140 billion to ICE and Border Patrol— agencies that were already funded at multiple times their former budget last year—that they are ignoring the needs of working Americans.”
Merkley concluded his statement by saying, “This isn’t over, and as Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, I will fight this bill every step of the way to ensure we are enacting policies where families can thrive and Trump’s lawless agencies are held to account.”
The ongoing debate highlights divisions in Congress over federal spending priorities for immigration enforcement versus support for American families.
