The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a Senate-backed budget plan that allows Republicans to move forward with a strategy to fund federal immigration agencies without Democratic support. The vote marked the first major step in a broader Republican effort to secure long-term funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The House approved the resolution in a narrow 215-211 vote after hours of delays caused by disagreements among Republicans over a separate farm bill issue. The budget blueprint had already passed the Senate last week.
Republicans want Congress to approve new funding for immigration enforcement agencies before June. Leaders from both chambers said the administration faces a serious funding shortfall at the Department of Homeland Security, which has remained partially shut down since February.
The resolution directs congressional committees that oversee ICE and Border Patrol to draft legislation providing roughly $70 billion for the agencies, reported The New York Times. Lawmakers still need to write the final legislation and pass it through both chambers before any money becomes available.
Republicans plan to fund the rest of the Department of Homeland Security through a separate legislative track. That split approach has become one of the biggest points of disagreement in Congress.
Why are Republicans using reconciliation?
Republicans turned to the budget reconciliation process because it allows the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority vote instead of the usual 60-vote requirement. The process gives GOP lawmakers a way to bypass Democratic opposition.
Democrats refused to support new funding for ICE and Border Patrol unless Republicans agreed to policy reforms tied to immigration enforcement. Senate Republicans responded by separating immigration enforcement funding from the rest of DHS operations.
At the end of March, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation to fund most DHS agencies except ICE and Border Patrol. The measure covered agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reported CBS.
House Democratic leaders said they were ready to support that Senate bill. But House Republican leaders declined to bring it to the floor because many conservatives opposed it. Some Republicans wanted voter identification requirements added to the legislation before any vote could take place.
Instead, House Republicans passed a temporary 60-day funding extension for the entire department and sent the issue back to the Senate.
Republican leaders later returned to a two-part strategy. Under that plan, immigration enforcement agencies receive funding through reconciliation while the rest of DHS receives funding through the normal appropriations process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune defended the strategy last week. He said Democrats forced Republicans to rely on reconciliation to make sure ICE and Border Patrol receive funding.
The White House also increased pressure on Congress this week. In a memo sent to lawmakers on Tuesday, the Office of Management and Budget warned that DHS could soon run out of operating funds. The memo said essential personnel and operations could face disruptions if lawmakers fail to act quickly.
The administration had earlier directed DHS to use available funding to continue paying employees during the shutdown. But the memo warned the government may not have enough funds to pay workers beginning in May.
Republicans also cited renewed security concerns after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday. GOP lawmakers said the incident increased the urgency to fully fund homeland security operations.
Disagreements inside Republican Party
Even after Wednesday’s vote, divisions remain inside the Republican Party over how to fund the broader Department of Homeland Security.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the House plans to pass the reconciliation bill first before taking up the Senate legislation that funds the rest of DHS. Johnson argued the Senate bill contains language that could weaken immigration enforcement funding.
He said House Republicans prepared a modified version of the measure that would work better for both chambers.
Some conservatives objected to provisions they believe would effectively eliminate funding for immigration enforcement activities. Those concerns created additional tension between House and Senate Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Thune rejected criticism of the Senate package. He said senators made sure every DHS agency received proper funding under the legislation.
Despite the disagreements, Johnson dismissed claims of a wider conflict between House Republicans, Senate Republicans and the White House. He said GOP leaders remained united and continued to work together on the funding strategy.