SCOOP: Moreno Says GOP Bill Includes Funding to Jail Migrants in El Salvador
An enormous budget reconciliation aimed at destroying migrant communities continues steadily advancing in a GOP-controlled Congress.
WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Migrant Insider that the $45 billion immigration enforcement package Republicans are pushing in the budget bill includes additional funding for detention services in El Salvador.
“We’re gonna allocate more money for that,” Moreno said in a hallway interview Tuesday afternoon. “We’d rather have the countries of origin take them back, to be clear. But they won’t. We don’t wanna house them here. We’re gonna house them in El Salvador for a fraction of the money.”
When asked if that funding was part of the $45 billion earmarked for detention in reconciliation, Moreno confirmed: “Yes. It will be part of that.”
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The senator’s comment pierced the veil of silence surrounding how exactly tens of billions of taxpayer dollars in proposed immigration spending will be used.
“They’re not telling us anything,” said a senior Democratic senator on the Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration policy. “Part of that is because they are incredibly disorganized, and part of that is because they know what they are proposing will be incredibly unpopular,” the senator added.
Related: Across the Capitol, House Republicans have drafted a budget bill to increase migrant detention at unlicensed facilities — detention centers which apparently include the infamous CECOT prison in El Salvador.
“Trump and the Republicans should not send American taxpayer dollars to El Salvador for the purpose of illegally detaining individuals who have been wrongfully deported from the United States in violation of court orders,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador over the Easter recess to meet with his constituent whom ICE disappeared to CECOT in March. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia has since been transferred from CECOT to a prison in Santa Ana, El Salvador, according to Van Hollen and international media reports.
Budget reconciliation is a legislative process that allows Congress to pass certain fiscal measures—related to spending, revenue, and the debt limit—by a simple majority vote in both chambers, bypassing the Senate filibuster. However, it is limited to provisions that directly impact the federal budget. The process starts with a budget resolution that sets fiscal targets, followed by committees drafting legislation to meet those goals.
While President Joe Biden used reconciliation during Democratic control of Congress to pass COVID relief and infrastructure bills, Donald Trump is now using the same process to push for historic increases in immigration enforcement funding and tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and major corporations.
The current GOP proposal—what they’re calling “one big, beautiful bill”—is moving swiftly toward passage, likely later this summer. With Democrats in the minority in both chambers, their options to block it are limited. The House version is currently under committee review, with immigration-related provisions being examined by the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees.
Once passed, the bill will face a procedural review in the Senate known as the “Byrd Bath,” during which Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough will advise on whether each provision is relevant to the budget. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-SD) has already begun exploring ways to override her determinations, which are advisory and can be disregarded by the majority.
Ironically—and perhaps tragically for the migrants affected by this budget—MacDonough began her career in 1998 working at a migrant detention center in New Jersey. In 2021, she advised then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer not to include migrant relief measures in Biden’s sprawling social spending bill, arguing the “policy change” Democrats proposed “substantially outweighs the budgetary impact.”
MY TAKE: This is complicated stuff, but as I’ve said for months now: The most important story in mass deportations continues to be the funding. So far, we know the House GOP bill proposes a complete rewrite of immigration fees and an enormous increase in deportation funding through 2029. We will stay on the story and hope you continue to follow on. If you have any questions, please ask us on social media or post them to r/Congress on Reddit, which I mod along with other Hill experts.
—Pablo Manríquez
Background on the Anti-Immigrant House Judiciary Bill
In March, Congress passed House Resolution 14, a controversial bill funding government operations through 2034. The resolution, which emphasizes immigration enforcement and includes substantial cuts to Medicare and Social Security, ignited fierce debate.
Over the next few weeks, Congress will determine how to allocate these funds. House Speaker Mike Johnson has stressed the urgency of finalizing details. Each committee will propose allocations, a process that can be protracted. Typically, a chairman’s recommendations are prioritized and voted on in a hearing, or committee members submit amendments for a majority vote. Approved recommendations then advance to committees like Ways and Means for integration into the broader budget.
On Monday, the House Homeland Security Committee proposed $46.5 billion for border wall construction, $45 billion for family detention, $5 billion for Customs and Border Protection facilities, $4.1 billion to hire 3,000 Border Patrol agents and 5,000 CBP officers, and $2.7 billion for border surveillance technology.
The Armed Services Committee also released its recommendations, including a $150 billion earmark with $5 billion for border operations support. This covers military personnel deployment, operations and maintenance, counter-narcotics efforts, counter-transnational criminal organization missions, construction in national defense areas, temporary migrant detention on Department of Defense installations, and repatriation activities, pursuant to sections 272, 277, 284, and 2672 of Title 10, United States Code. It’ll also vote on its recommendations on Tuesday, April 29th.
The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is expected to vote on its recommendations Wednesday. Immigration-related funding could total between $150 billion and $350 billion, though specifics remain uncertain.
A Contentious Path Ahead
Democrats are frustrated by the heavy focus on immigration spending, especially as welfare programs face cuts in the hundreds of billions. Meanwhile, some Republicans argue the bill falls short on reducing federal debt. These divisions raise questions about how opponents might challenge the budget.
Policy vs. Funding
Immigration legal expert Rick Swartz highlights a potential strategy for Democrats. House and Senate parliamentarians strictly distinguish between funding existing operations (such as ICE’s current activities) and new policy initiatives (like deporting U.S. citizens abroad, which would require congressional and possibly Supreme Court approval). Parliamentarians act as political referees, and while they can be overruled, doing so risks significant backlash. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, once noted that challenging the referee benefits no one.
Both parties will likely push the boundaries of these rules, with parliamentarians tasked with scrutinizing the bill’s language. Democrats hope many Republican proposals on social services and immigration will be classified as policy changes and removed from the budget. If not, their options are limited.
Influence of Lobbyists
Swartz also points to the role of interest groups and lobbyists, who significantly influence lawmakers’ votes. These behind-the-scenes players can prompt legislators to reconsider the bill’s implications, and their activities are under close watch as the debate unfolds.
Potential for Bipartisanship
Democrats may find an ally in the Republican Party’s far-right wing, many of whom opposed H. Res. 14 for not cutting spending or taxes aggressively enough. While most voted with their party, their dissatisfaction could resurface. With Republicans able to lose only four House votes, maintaining unity will be challenging but achievable.
Partisan Strategies
Speculation surrounds potential Democratic tactics, including adding “poison pill” provisions to make the bill politically toxic for Republicans. The Trump administration’s struggles—economic challenges, foreign policy setbacks, stalled deportation efforts, and tensions with the judiciary—could encourage Democrats to let Republicans face the fallout of a divisive budget. Still, Democrats may have unexpected plans, which could emerge over the next four weeks as Congress debates intensely.
With Trump and his administration closely monitoring the process, the stakes are high, and the halls of Congress are bracing for heated negotiations.
— Nicolae Butler