The House of Representatives voted 215-211 along party lines Wednesday to approve a budget blueprint that funds immigration enforcement agencies for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. The measure aims to end a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse that started Feb. 14, according to House sources.
All House Democrats opposed the measure, while every Republican present supported it. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., caucusing with Republicans, voted present. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faced a narrow majority, with only a few GOP defections needed to pass the bill.
The approval unlocks the use of the budget reconciliation process, enabling Republicans to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection without Democratic support. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Johnson agreed weeks ago to a two-track approach to fund DHS, but Johnson has yet to bring the Senate’s partial DHS bill to the House floor due to concerns over zeroing out funding for immigration enforcement, sources said.
Several GOP lawmakers, including members of the House Freedom Caucus, expressed concerns over the bill’s provisions. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, said efforts are underway to ensure funding for ICE and the Border Patrol before finalizing the remainder of DHS funding. Meanwhile, the White House warned that DHS could run out of money to pay employees as early as May, risking disruptions to air travel, law enforcement, and national security.
The House’s approval of the Senate blueprint also limits the inclusion of other GOP priorities in the budget package. GOP leaders emphasized that their focus remains on funding DHS and preventing a government shutdown, using reconciliation to secure funding for immigration enforcement agencies.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
