Rep. John Rose, a Tennessee Republican, warned Thursday that a Republican-led effort to fund immigration enforcement through budget reconciliation—backed by President Donald Trump—could risk concessions to Democrats amid an ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding dispute.
Rose stated that Democrats have been “holding the American people hostage” by failing to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection. He cautioned that while the plan might work, it could lead Republicans to capitulate to Democratic demands prioritizing illegal immigration over U.S. citizens.
The initiative, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Carolina, aims to secure border enforcement funding by June 1 as required by President Trump. Rose emphasized that Democrats are likely to continue obstructing GOP efforts, including a recent Senate funding measure he described as “deeply troubling” because it temporarily left ICE and border protection without statutory funding.
Rose urged the Senate to return to Washington immediately to address the issue directly, holding Democrats accountable for refusing to fund immigration enforcement. He criticized Democratic demands for policy changes in exchange for DHS funding, noting such conditions are designed to limit federal immigration enforcement and perpetuate policies of former President Joe Biden that allowed millions to enter the country illegally.
Rose added that failure to pass the funding through reconciliation could force Republicans into capitulation: “If it can’t be done, then we’ll be capitulating to Democrats and falling victim to their demands.”
