WASHINGTON — The Senate opened a vote-a-rama on Wednesday as Senate Republicans moved ahead with a plan to fund immigration agencies under the Department of Homeland Security without Democratic support. The budget resolution, released earlier in the week, began an effort to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection through budget reconciliation, a process that allows Republicans to advance legislation despite Democratic opposition.

Before the resolution can be adopted, the Senate must conduct a vote-a-rama in which senators can offer an unlimited number of amendments and force successive roll-call votes. Voting on amendments offered by Democrats began shortly after 9:30 p.m. ET.

The resolution authorizes the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to draft legislation to increase spending by up to $70 billion each for ICE and parts of CBP, though the final bill's price tag is expected to be around $70 billion total. Republicans say the spending figures are aimed at giving the committees flexibility. The plan would fund the immigration agencies for more than three years, ensuring funding through the remainder of the Trump administration.

Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate, while most legislation requires 60 votes to move forward. The reconciliation process allows a measure with direct budgetary consequences to advance with only a simple majority, leaving Democrats without a way to block the funding plan.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will offer a variety of amendments aimed at forcing Republicans to take positions on affordability issues. Schumer also said, "This will be a reconciliation of reckoning for Senate Republicans." "This will be a reconciliation of contrasts, and we are relishing that fight," he said. "Republicans want to shell out billions of dollars to Donald Trump's private army without any common-sense restraints or reforms. Democrats want to put money in people's pockets by lowering their costs."

On Wednesday night, Senator John Kennedy made a push to make several changes to the bill before releasing his hold and allowing voting to proceed. On the Senate floor, he warned there will not be a third opportunity for a reconciliation bill and said the GOP election bill known as the SAVE Act should be included, along with a handful of affordability-related provisions. "This is the last train leaving the station," Kennedy said. "I'd like to see us come up with one or two issues that will help the American people with the cost of living and other things that I know Republicans can agree to."

The Department of Homeland Security shut down on Feb. 14 after Senate Democrats and Republicans failed to reach an agreement on reforms following weeks of negotiations. Democrats pledged to object to any DHS funding without reforms to its immigration enforcement agencies. Last month, senators funded the bulk of DHS while excluding funding for ICE and parts of CBP, but the House has not taken up that measure. House Republicans indicated they need assurances that ICE and CBP will be funded and are waiting for the Senate to move forward with budget reconciliation.

DHS remains shut down, though President Trump directed DHS employees to be paid on a temporary basis. Agency officials warned that DHS funding will dry up next month. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is hopeful the House will move forward soon. "I think that message is being delivered and hopefully will be received, and we can get moving forward with making sure those agencies are funded," Thune said.