[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-how-congress-is-negotiating-dhs-2026-funding-from-border-security-to-election-riders-en":3,"ArticleBody_ol9S8WNnXIX3Tk0YqH7LlDVkKvyZoscLhqKwjrv7hY":144},{"article":4,"relatedArticles":129,"locale":30},{"id":5,"title":6,"slug":7,"content":8,"htmlContent":9,"excerpt":10,"category":11,"tags":12,"metaDescription":10,"wordCount":13,"readingTime":14,"publishedAt":15,"sources":16,"sourceCoverage":22,"transparency":24,"seo":27,"language":30,"featuredImage":31,"featuredImageCredit":32,"isFreeGeneration":36,"niche":37,"geoTakeaways":41,"geoFaq":50,"entities":60},"69e8d27e288b05606855d56d","How Congress Is Negotiating DHS 2026 Funding, From Border Security to Election Riders","how-congress-is-negotiating-dhs-2026-funding-from-border-security-to-election-riders","## Context: Why DHS 2026 Funding Negotiations Are Especially High-Stakes\n\nThe [Department of Homeland Security](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security)’s 2026 appropriations bill will set funding for border enforcement, FEMA, TSA, cybersecurity, and election security assistance, making it one of the most politically charged spending fights on Capitol Hill.[1]\n\nEach year, the [White House](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FWhite_House) and [Office of Management and Budget](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FOffice_of_Management_and_Budget) submit a request—under [President Trump](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FDonald_Trump) and [Russell T. Vought](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FRussell_Vought) or under [President Biden](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FJoe_Biden) and the current [Biden Administration](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPresidency_of_Joe_Biden)—but [Congress](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCongress) writes the actual bills.[1] Key appropriators like [Senator Patty Murray](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPatty_Murray) and [Representative Rosa DeLauro](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FRosa_DeLauro) decide funding levels and policy conditions, and final texts appear via the [U.S. Government Publishing Office](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Government_Publishing_Office).[1]\n\nCongress can:[1]\n\n- Pass a stand‑alone DHS bill  \n- Fold DHS into a larger omnibus  \n- Use short‑term continuing resolutions (CRs) if deadlines are missed, extending current funding and creating leverage for policy demands  \n\nUnlike routine bills for agencies like the [Department of Agriculture](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture), DHS bills now carry hard‑fought ideological riders.[1]\n\n💡 **Key takeaway:** The 2026 DHS bill is not just a budget; it is a vehicle for fights over immigration, elections, and federal power.[1]\n\nElection debates are increasingly pulled into DHS talks. Some members conflate DHS support for [election infrastructure](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSenate_Intelligence_Committee_report_on_Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_presidential_election) with policing alleged noncitizen voting, though federal law already bans noncitizens from registering or voting in federal elections.[1] With a contentious presidential cycle ahead, both parties face pressure to “weaponize” must‑pass DHS funding for goals unlikely to pass as stand‑alone laws.[1]\n\n## Key Flashpoints: Border, Immigration Enforcement, and Election-Related Riders\n\nBorder and immigration provisions remain central bargaining chips. Expect pushes for:[1]\n\n- More [Border Patrol](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Border_Patrol) staffing and overtime  \n- Expanded detention bed capacity  \n- Additional surveillance technology and physical barriers along the southwest border  \n\nThese demands often become the price of passing any DHS bill.[1]\n\n📊 **Data point:** Because DHS controls most federal immigration enforcement resources, even small percentage shifts can significantly change daily border and interior operations.[1]\n\nA newer flashpoint is election‑related riders. Some lawmakers are likely to seek provisions modeled on the [SAVE Act](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSAVE_Act), branded as “election integrity” but designed to:[1]\n\n- Require documentary proof of citizenship to register  \n- Tighten voter list maintenance rules  \n\nVoting‑rights advocates warn these proposals would block or purge millions of eligible citizens who lack ready access to passports, birth certificates, or similar documents.[1]\n\nMisinformation about noncitizen voting drives this push. Evidence shows:[1]\n\n- One study across 42 jurisdictions found 30 suspected noncitizen votes out of 23.5 million cast—about 0.0001%[1]  \n- A Georgia audit found 9 noncitizen ballots out of 8.2 million registered voters[1]  \n\nDespite these tiny figures, social media often portrays noncitizen voting as systemic.[1]\n\n⚠️ **Key point:** When controversial voting restrictions are tied to must‑pass DHS bills, shutdown risks rise.[1] One side demands “security” riders; the other views them as efforts to disenfranchise voters and inflame election rhetoric.[1] A border‑state election director reported calls about fictitious “busloads” of noncitizens registering each time Congress debated DHS “crackdowns.”[1] Commentators such as [Joel Friedman](https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FDavid_Friedman_(poet)) warn this blurs genuine security debates with performative politics.\n\n## Scenarios and Impacts: What to Watch as Congress Hammers Out a Deal\n\nLawmakers and agencies face three broad scenarios for DHS 2026:[1]\n\n1. **Best‑case:** A timely stand‑alone DHS bill with few riders, focusing on funding and operations.  \n2. **Middle‑ground:** A short‑term CR into late 2025 or early 2026, delaying fights but freezing programs at outdated levels.[1]  \n3. **Worst‑case:** A prolonged stalemate, causing a partial DHS shutdown or repeated stopgaps and growing uncertainty.[1]  \n\nImpacts across missions:[1]\n\n- **Border operations:** Need predictable staffing, detention, and transportation funds; repeated CRs hinder planning for migration surges.[1]  \n- **FEMA:** Disaster preparedness and recovery grants can stall during budget showdowns.[1]  \n- **TSA and cybersecurity:** Screening upgrades and cyber investments depend on stable appropriations.[1]  \n- **Election infrastructure:** States rely on DHS grants and technical help to secure voter databases, e‑pollbooks, and intrusion detection, especially in a presidential year.[1]  \n\n💼 **Operational reality:** Career officials describe “budget whiplash” under serial CRs—hiring freezes, grant delays, canceled contracts, and weaker long‑term security planning.[1]\n\nIf SAVE Act–style ideas are attached, voter registration systems could face new mandates that:[1]\n\n- Force document checks many eligible voters cannot easily meet  \n- Increase registration rejections and list purges  \n- Reinforce misinformation that noncitizen voting is common  \n\nBecause registrants already attest under penalty of law that they are citizens, advocates argue these rules add bureaucracy without measurable security gains.[1]\n\n⚡ **Democratic stakes:** Embedding election‑related disinformation in homeland security funding normalizes false claims of massive noncitizen voting and makes future bipartisan work on real cyber and physical threats harder.[1]\n\n## Conclusion: A Proxy Battle Over Security, Elections, and Democracy\n\nThe DHS 2026 funding fight concentrates disputes over border policy, disaster capacity, cybersecurity, and competing narratives about election security and noncitizen voting.[1] Appropriations now function as a proxy battlefield over U.S. security policy and the rules of democratic participation.\n\n💡 **Key takeaway:** How Congress handles election‑related riders in the DHS bill will show whether lawmakers prioritize evidence‑based security or fear‑driven narratives about voter fraud and migration.[1]\n\nFor observers, next steps include:[1]\n\n- Tracking DHS subcommittee markups and floor debates  \n- Scrutinizing election‑related riders for their real‑world effects on eligible voters, documentation burdens, and list maintenance rules  \n- Relying on reputable research on noncitizen voting, which consistently finds such voting to be vanishingly rare[1]  \n\nGrounding debate in documented facts rather than viral claims will be crucial as Congress decides how to fund homeland security—and how to safeguard democracy—heading into 2026.[1]","\u003Ch2>Context: Why DHS 2026 Funding Negotiations Are Especially High-Stakes\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Homeland Security\u003C\u002Fa>’s 2026 appropriations bill will set funding for border enforcement, FEMA, TSA, cybersecurity, and election security assistance, making it one of the most politically charged spending fights on Capitol Hill.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each year, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FWhite_House\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">White House\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FOffice_of_Management_and_Budget\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Office of Management and Budget\u003C\u002Fa> submit a request—under \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FDonald_Trump\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">President Trump\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FRussell_Vought\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russell T. Vought\u003C\u002Fa> or under \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FJoe_Biden\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">President Biden\u003C\u002Fa> and the current \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPresidency_of_Joe_Biden\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Biden Administration\u003C\u002Fa>—but \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCongress\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Congress\u003C\u002Fa> writes the actual bills.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> Key appropriators like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPatty_Murray\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Senator Patty Murray\u003C\u002Fa> and \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FRosa_DeLauro\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Representative Rosa DeLauro\u003C\u002Fa> decide funding levels and policy conditions, and final texts appear via the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Government_Publishing_Office\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. Government Publishing Office\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congress can:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Pass a stand‑alone DHS bill\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Fold DHS into a larger omnibus\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Use short‑term continuing resolutions (CRs) if deadlines are missed, extending current funding and creating leverage for policy demands\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Unlike routine bills for agencies like the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Agriculture\u003C\u002Fa>, DHS bills now carry hard‑fought ideological riders.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>💡 \u003Cstrong>Key takeaway:\u003C\u002Fstrong> The 2026 DHS bill is not just a budget; it is a vehicle for fights over immigration, elections, and federal power.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Election debates are increasingly pulled into DHS talks. Some members conflate DHS support for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSenate_Intelligence_Committee_report_on_Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_presidential_election\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">election infrastructure\u003C\u002Fa> with policing alleged noncitizen voting, though federal law already bans noncitizens from registering or voting in federal elections.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> With a contentious presidential cycle ahead, both parties face pressure to “weaponize” must‑pass DHS funding for goals unlikely to pass as stand‑alone laws.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Key Flashpoints: Border, Immigration Enforcement, and Election-Related Riders\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Border and immigration provisions remain central bargaining chips. Expect pushes for:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>More \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Border_Patrol\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Border Patrol\u003C\u002Fa> staffing and overtime\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Expanded detention bed capacity\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Additional surveillance technology and physical barriers along the southwest border\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>These demands often become the price of passing any DHS bill.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>📊 \u003Cstrong>Data point:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Because DHS controls most federal immigration enforcement resources, even small percentage shifts can significantly change daily border and interior operations.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A newer flashpoint is election‑related riders. Some lawmakers are likely to seek provisions modeled on the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSAVE_Act\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SAVE Act\u003C\u002Fa>, branded as “election integrity” but designed to:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Require documentary proof of citizenship to register\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Tighten voter list maintenance rules\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Voting‑rights advocates warn these proposals would block or purge millions of eligible citizens who lack ready access to passports, birth certificates, or similar documents.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misinformation about noncitizen voting drives this push. Evidence shows:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>One study across 42 jurisdictions found 30 suspected noncitizen votes out of 23.5 million cast—about 0.0001%\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>A Georgia audit found 9 noncitizen ballots out of 8.2 million registered voters\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Despite these tiny figures, social media often portrays noncitizen voting as systemic.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>⚠️ \u003Cstrong>Key point:\u003C\u002Fstrong> When controversial voting restrictions are tied to must‑pass DHS bills, shutdown risks rise.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> One side demands “security” riders; the other views them as efforts to disenfranchise voters and inflame election rhetoric.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> A border‑state election director reported calls about fictitious “busloads” of noncitizens registering each time Congress debated DHS “crackdowns.”\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> Commentators such as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FDavid_Friedman_(poet)\" class=\"wiki-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joel Friedman\u003C\u002Fa> warn this blurs genuine security debates with performative politics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Scenarios and Impacts: What to Watch as Congress Hammers Out a Deal\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Lawmakers and agencies face three broad scenarios for DHS 2026:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Best‑case:\u003C\u002Fstrong> A timely stand‑alone DHS bill with few riders, focusing on funding and operations.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Middle‑ground:\u003C\u002Fstrong> A short‑term CR into late 2025 or early 2026, delaying fights but freezing programs at outdated levels.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Worst‑case:\u003C\u002Fstrong> A prolonged stalemate, causing a partial DHS shutdown or repeated stopgaps and growing uncertainty.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003Cp>Impacts across missions:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Border operations:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Need predictable staffing, detention, and transportation funds; repeated CRs hinder planning for migration surges.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>FEMA:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Disaster preparedness and recovery grants can stall during budget showdowns.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>TSA and cybersecurity:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Screening upgrades and cyber investments depend on stable appropriations.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Election infrastructure:\u003C\u002Fstrong> States rely on DHS grants and technical help to secure voter databases, e‑pollbooks, and intrusion detection, especially in a presidential year.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>💼 \u003Cstrong>Operational reality:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Career officials describe “budget whiplash” under serial CRs—hiring freezes, grant delays, canceled contracts, and weaker long‑term security planning.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If SAVE Act–style ideas are attached, voter registration systems could face new mandates that:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Force document checks many eligible voters cannot easily meet\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Increase registration rejections and list purges\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Reinforce misinformation that noncitizen voting is common\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Because registrants already attest under penalty of law that they are citizens, advocates argue these rules add bureaucracy without measurable security gains.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>⚡ \u003Cstrong>Democratic stakes:\u003C\u002Fstrong> Embedding election‑related disinformation in homeland security funding normalizes false claims of massive noncitizen voting and makes future bipartisan work on real cyber and physical threats harder.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Conclusion: A Proxy Battle Over Security, Elections, and Democracy\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The DHS 2026 funding fight concentrates disputes over border policy, disaster capacity, cybersecurity, and competing narratives about election security and noncitizen voting.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa> Appropriations now function as a proxy battlefield over U.S. security policy and the rules of democratic participation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>💡 \u003Cstrong>Key takeaway:\u003C\u002Fstrong> How Congress handles election‑related riders in the DHS bill will show whether lawmakers prioritize evidence‑based security or fear‑driven narratives about voter fraud and migration.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For observers, next steps include:\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Tracking DHS subcommittee markups and floor debates\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Scrutinizing election‑related riders for their real‑world effects on eligible voters, documentation burdens, and list maintenance rules\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Relying on reputable research on noncitizen voting, which consistently finds such voting to be vanishingly rare\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Grounding debate in documented facts rather than viral claims will be crucial as Congress decides how to fund homeland security—and how to safeguard democracy—heading into 2026.\u003Ca href=\"#source-1\" class=\"citation-link\" title=\"View source [1]\">[1]\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n","Context: Why DHS 2026 Funding Negotiations Are Especially High-Stakes\n\nThe Department of Homeland Security’s 2026 appropriations bill will set funding for border enforcement, FEMA, TSA, cybersecurity,...","trend-radar",[],896,4,"2026-04-22T13:57:51.439Z",[17],{"title":18,"url":19,"summary":20,"type":21},"The SAVE Act is Headed to the Senate: A Push to Restrict Voting Access","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lwv.org\u002Fblog\u002Fsave-act-headed-senate-push-restrict-voting-access","By: Jessica Jones Capparell\n\nThe SAVE Act is headed to the Senate as Congress moves the SAVE Act suite of bills, which would disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans from registering to vote. Thi...","kb",{"totalSources":23},1,{"generationDuration":25,"kbQueriesCount":23,"confidenceScore":26,"sourcesCount":23},282337,68,{"metaTitle":28,"metaDescription":29},"DHS 2026 Funding: Congress' Border to Elections Plan","High-stakes DHS 2026 funding showdown: inside Congress' battle over border security, FEMA, TSA, cybersecurity and election riders — read to see who wins and why","en","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1589776073889-662b4bdb074e?ixid=M3w4OTczNDl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxjb25ncmVzcyUyMG5lZ290aWF0aW5nJTIwZGhzJTIwMjAyNnxlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzc2ODY1OTE4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1200&h=630&fit=crop&crop=entropy&auto=format,compress&q=60",{"photographerName":33,"photographerUrl":34,"unsplashUrl":35},"Mark König","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@markkoenig?utm_source=coreprose&utm_medium=referral","https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fa-close-up-of-a-street-sign-with-a-sky-background-2pq32v6VEgY?utm_source=coreprose&utm_medium=referral",true,{"key":38,"name":39,"nameEn":40},"actualites","Actualités & News","News & Current Events",[42,44,46,48],{"text":43},"The DHS 2026 appropriations bill will determine funding for border enforcement, FEMA, TSA, cybersecurity, and election security and is the central vehicle for high‑stakes policy fights on Capitol Hill.",{"text":45},"Congressional options are limited to a stand‑alone DHS bill, inclusion in an omnibus, or short‑term continuing resolutions (CRs); repeated CRs cause hiring freezes, grant delays, and planning disruptions across DHS missions.",{"text":47},"Proposals to attach SAVE Act–style election riders would require documentary proof of citizenship for registration and tightened list maintenance, risking rejections and purges that could affect millions without clear security benefits.",{"text":49},"Empirical evidence shows noncitizen voting is vanishingly rare: one study found 30 suspected noncitizen votes out of 23.5 million cast (~0.0001%), and a Georgia audit found 9 noncitizen ballots among 8.2 million registered voters.",[51,54,57],{"question":52,"answer":53},"What are the main priorities and flashpoints in DHS 2026 negotiations?","The main priorities are border enforcement resources, detention and transportation funding, FEMA disaster preparedness grants, TSA screening and cybersecurity investments, and election‑security assistance, and the flashpoints are immigration enforcement levels and election‑related riders. Congressional negotiators are pushing for more Border Patrol staffing, overtime, detention bed capacity, surveillance technology, and physical barriers on the southwest border, while other lawmakers seek to attach provisions modeled on the SAVE Act that would impose documentary proof of citizenship and stricter voter list maintenance; these competing demands make the bill a bargaining chip that can trigger shutdown risks or repeated short‑term CRs that degrade operational readiness.",{"question":55,"answer":56},"How would election‑related riders tied to DHS funding affect voters and election administration?","Election‑related riders requiring documentary proof of citizenship and tighter list maintenance would increase the administrative burden on state and local election officials and likely raise registration rejections and purges, disproportionately affecting eligible citizens who lack easy access to birth certificates or passports. Because registrants already attest under penalty of law to their citizenship, adding documentary requirements would create extra bureaucracy and potential disenfranchisement without measurable gains given the extremely low incidence of noncitizen voting found in multiple analyses; moreover, attaching such riders to must‑pass appropriations risks politicizing federal election assistance and could undermine collaboration on cyber defenses, e‑pollbook integrity, and other critical election‑security efforts ahead of a presidential cycle.",{"question":58,"answer":59},"What scenarios should stakeholders prepare for and what are the operational consequences?","Stakeholders should prepare for three scenarios: a timely stand‑alone DHS bill with limited riders preserving program stability; a middle‑ground short‑term CR that delays fights but freezes funding at outdated levels and undermines multi‑year planning; and a worst‑case prolonged stalemate with repeated stopgaps or partial shutdowns that cause “budget whiplash.” Operational consequences include constrained border and interior enforcement planning from unpredictable staffing and detention funding, stalled FEMA disaster preparedness and recovery grants, delayed TSA screening and cybersecurity upgrades, and interrupted election‑security grants and technical assistance—each outcome reduces the federal government’s ability to respond effectively to migration surges, disasters, and cyber threats.",[61,67,72,77,82,88,92,96,101,105,109,113,118,121,124],{"id":62,"name":63,"type":64,"confidence":65,"wikipediaUrl":66},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691cc","SAVE Act","concept",0.85,"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSAVE_Act",{"id":68,"name":69,"type":64,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":71},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691ce","noncitizen voting",0.95,null,{"id":73,"name":74,"type":64,"confidence":75,"wikipediaUrl":76},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691cd","election infrastructure",0.92,"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSenate_Intelligence_Committee_report_on_Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_presidential_election",{"id":78,"name":79,"type":80,"confidence":81,"wikipediaUrl":71},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691cf","Georgia audit (noncitizen ballots)","event",0.8,{"id":83,"name":84,"type":85,"confidence":86,"wikipediaUrl":87},"69e8d30de1ca17caac36911e","Congress","organization",0.98,"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCongress",{"id":89,"name":90,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":91},"69e8d30ee1ca17caac36911f","Biden Administration","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FPresidency_of_Joe_Biden",{"id":93,"name":94,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":95},"69e8d30ee1ca17caac369124","Department of Agriculture","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture",{"id":97,"name":98,"type":85,"confidence":99,"wikipediaUrl":100},"69e8d30ee1ca17caac369125","Department of Homeland Security",0.99,"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security",{"id":102,"name":103,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":104},"69e8d30de1ca17caac36911a","White House","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FWhite_House",{"id":106,"name":107,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":108},"69e8d30de1ca17caac36911b","U.S. Government Publishing Office","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Government_Publishing_Office",{"id":110,"name":111,"type":85,"confidence":86,"wikipediaUrl":112},"69e8d30ce1ca17caac369116","Office of Management and Budget","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FOffice_of_Management_and_Budget",{"id":114,"name":115,"type":85,"confidence":116,"wikipediaUrl":117},"69e8d406e1ca17caac3691c9","Border Patrol",0.9,"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FUnited_States_Border_Patrol",{"id":119,"name":120,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":71},"69e8d406e1ca17caac3691ca","FEMA",{"id":122,"name":123,"type":85,"confidence":70,"wikipediaUrl":71},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691cb","TSA",{"id":125,"name":126,"type":127,"confidence":128,"wikipediaUrl":71},"69e8d407e1ca17caac3691d0","study across 42 jurisdictions","other",0.78,[130,137],{"id":131,"title":132,"slug":133,"excerpt":134,"category":11,"featuredImage":135,"publishedAt":136},"69da24e65c0f21a12e62c6c7","Amgen’s Phase 3 TEPEZZA OBI Results: Redefining Thyroid Eye Disease Drug Delivery","amgen-s-phase-3-tepezza-obi-results-redefining-thyroid-eye-disease-drug-delivery","1. 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