[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2462]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, enforcing our Nation's laws is not 
optional. Securing our borders isn't optional. Supporting the men and 
women who do this important work--funding law enforcement--isn't 
optional either. That should go without saying, but unfortunately, 
Members of the Democrat Party have made it clear that they disagree. 
Incredibly, Democrats have refused to provide a single penny for border 
security and immigration law enforcement for fiscal year 2026--that is 
zero dollars for a physical presence at our Nation's border; zero 
dollars to deport criminals who have made their way into our country 
illegally. If Democrats had their way, illegal immigrants would be 
allowed to flood across our Nation's southern border entirely 
unchecked.
  I guess we really shouldn't be surprised. After all, it is hardly the 
first time Democrats have demonstrated that border security and 
immigration enforcement are at the very bottom of their priority list. 
For decades now, Democrat-led cities and States have implemented 
sanctuary policies that prevent local law enforcement from cooperating 
with Federal immigration authorities. These policies have had deadly 
consequences. Yet Democrats have defended them and continue to uphold 
them across the country.
  Then there was the crisis at the southern border. There were 4--4--
straight years of recordbreaking illegal immigration at our southern 
border under Democrats and President Biden.
  The New York Times reported:

       After Mr. Biden became president, migrant encounters at the 
     southern border quickly doubled, then kept rising. New 
     arrivals overwhelmed border stations, then border towns, and 
     eventually major cities like New York and Denver.

  That from the New York Times.
  Contrast that with today. Illegal crossings have plummeted to a 
trickle, and as of the end of April, not a single illegal immigrant has 
been released at the border and into our country for an entire year.
  But Democrats are apparently determined to bring back unchecked 
illegal immigration. To do that, they are embracing the far-left 
ideologies of ``defund law enforcement'' and ``abolish ICE.'' These 
were once considered fringe positions among Democrats. Today, they are 
basically the official positions of the Democrat Party.
  The junior Senator from California said in January:

       I'm not giving ICE or Border Patrol another dime.

  The junior Senator from Massachusetts told a crowd in February:

       We know that we must defund and abolish ICE.

  One Democrat Senate candidate has even said:

       Dismantling ICE is the moderate position.

  This is today's Democrat Party--a party in thrall to its far-left 
base and a party that has completely abandoned its national security 
responsibilities when it comes to enforcing immigration law and 
securing our borders.
  Needless to say, as long as Republicans are in charge, we are not 
going to let Democrats defund border security and immigration law 
enforcement. So we are moving forward with a bill to fund these 
important responsibilities for the remainder of the Trump 
administration so that Democrats cannot again put our Nation's security 
and Americans' safety in jeopardy.
  I don't know who Democrats think benefits from blocking funding for 
Border Patrol and ICE. The American people certainly don't benefit from 
there being no law enforcement at the border. They don't benefit from 
human traffickers and drug smugglers being able to enter our country 
unchecked or from rapists, murderers, and other criminals being allowed 
to live freely in our country.
  Democrats' position puts illegal immigrants in danger as well. Border 
Patrol agents are the ones pulling illegal immigrants out of the Rio 
Grande and rescuing dehydrated migrants in the desert. But Democrats 
don't support these agents' work.
  If Democrats' position helps anyone, it helps the cartels, the 
coyotes, and other criminals who prefer to act without risk of 
detection and apprehension. And I suspect that is why we haven't heard 
much from Democrats in recent weeks about the core of this legislation. 
Democrats haven't exactly demonstrated an eagerness to come to the 
floor and defend open borders, and I strongly suspect that is because 
at some level, they know their position is completely indefensible.
  President Trump and Republicans have cleaned up Democrats' mess at 
the border. We have secured the southern border and put criminals on 
notice that they will no longer be living freely in our country. And we 
plan to keep it that way.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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