WASHINGTON

The Senate took the first steps early Thursday in a renewed push to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, voting to approve a budget plan that would fund ICE and Border Patrol over Democratic objections. The measure now heads to the House.

The entire department has been shuttered since mid-February, after Democrats demanded policy changes in response to the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents.

In response, Republicans are now attempting to fund the two immigration enforcement agencies through budget reconciliation — a complex, time-consuming process that allows passage with a simple majority.

Republicans previously used the same maneuver to pass President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts last year without any Democratic votes.

“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The budget reconciliation process requires only a simple majority in the Senate, allowing Republicans — who hold 53 seats — to bypass filibuster rules that typically demand 60 votes for most legislation.

However, the process also comes with added scrutiny from the Senate parliamentarian and involves a lengthy, open-ended series of amendment votes at both the start and end of the procedure.

By James Kisoo