Border Security Budget Battle: Shutdown Talks Intensify

House Speaker Mike Johnson is holding up a Senate bill that would fund most

Department of Homeland Security programs to make sure immigration and customs

enforcement and border patrol don't get short change during this shutdown.

He's stressing the order matters so those border agencies stay front and center.

Over in the Senate Republicans dropped a budget resolution today that lets

committee spin up to $70 billion on immigration enforcement aiming to lock

in funding for ICE and border patrol for three and a half years

through the reconciliation process. Both chambers need to pass this resolution

first to even start that. Democrats are pushing back hard,

calling it a blank check for agencies already flush with cash

and they're demanding reforms like requiring warrants.

And ID badges for agents after some troubling incidents including shootings

in Minneapolis. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

plans to grill Republicans during the upcoming vote,

Arama. The Senate voted 52 to 46 this afternoon to advance the resolution

setting up a final vote later this week where Democrats will offer

a flurry of amendments to highlight priorities like lowering gas and

grocery prices. This budget dance shows how border

security is driving the shutdown talks with elections

looming for vulnerable Republicans like Susan Collins and

Dan Sullivan who could face tough ads over their votes.

This has been Anchorage News Today, Powered by AI.

I'm Corey with the story.