House Democrats try to force vote to fund DHS, but not ICE and CBP

CBS News
March 18, 2026
3 min read

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The Bottom Line

House Democrats launched discharge petition to fund DHS while excluding ICE and CBP immigration enforcement agencies.

AI Summary

House Democrats launched a discharge petition to force a floor vote on funding the Department of Homeland Security while excluding its Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies. The procedural maneuver requires at least four Republican votes to succeed, a significant hurdle in the divided chamber. The move reflects Democratic opposition to Trump administration immigration enforcement policies and represents an attempt to constrain funding for the agencies leading deportation operations and border enforcement. Democrats would need 218 total votes to discharge the petition from committee and bring it to a floor vote. The effort signals continued partisan conflict over immigration funding and DHS operations during the new congressional session.

What's Being Done

House Democrats filed discharge petition requiring 218 votes to force floor vote on DHS funding excluding ICE and CBP.

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