Cruz proposes splitting ICE from Homeland Security funding bill to end airport chaos

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: WFLA-TV Tampa, FL/The Hill

Posted: Mar 21, 2026 / 06:13 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 21, 2026 / 06:13 PM EDT


Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a leading Senate conservative, is proposing to colleagues the idea of splitting off Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from the rest of the funding for the Department of Homeland Security to end growing chaos at airports around the country.

The proposal appeared to be gaining momentum within the Senate Republican conference on Saturday as GOP lawmakers grow increasingly pessimistic about reaching a deal with Democrats to reform federal immigration enforcement operations.

“What I’ve suggested is that the Democrats have gotten so extreme and unreasonable that I don’t know that they will ever be willing to fund Department of Homeland Security,” Cruz told The Hill Saturday.

“If that’s where the Democrats are, I’ve suggested let’s fund ICE and CBP through reconciliation. That Republicans can do with just 50 votes, we can do that relatively quickly and the Democrat lunacy on open borders can be put to an end,” he added. “I’m interested in any strategy to get the government open, to pay the Department of Homeland Security.”

Read more: https://www.wfla.com/hill-politics/cruz-proposes-splitting-ice-from-homeland-security-funding-bill-to-end-airport-chaos/

---

TRANSLATION = "We are losing the 'narrative' since we have a trifecta and can end this right now but we can't do that because we have to insult 'the other side' as much as we can in order to save face and appear to support our craven policies".

NEWSFLASH: Democrats proposed this almost 2 weeks ago and it was rejected by the GOP (from the article) -

Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the Democratic vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, asked for unanimous consent on March 11 to fund TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies separately from ICE and CBP.