UMVA has learned that a contentious immigration enforcement and border security package has cleared the House, ending a months-long standoff between Republicans and Democrats over funding for President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown agenda.
The $70 billion immigration enforcement measure passed by a narrow margin of 214-212, with every Democrat voting against the package and one independent, Rep. Kevin Kiley, joining them in opposition. In contrast, every GOP lawmaker present voted for the measure, which funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through fiscal year 2029.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the measure now heads to Trump's desk, where he is expected to sign it into law, marking a major victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson. The GOP-authored bill, known as the Secure America Act, provides significant funding for ICE and the Border Patrol, as well as a $5 billion funding pool to be controlled by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Kiley, who recently switched his party affiliation to independent, expressed strong opposition to the bill, citing its lack of reforms to immigration enforcement and its bypassing of the traditional appropriations process. He argued that this approach undermines the annual bipartisan appropriations process and sets a problematic precedent for future legislation.
Republican leaders, on the other hand, argued that they were forced to use the partisan budget reconciliation process after Democrats repeatedly blocked Homeland Security funding bills. They claimed that Democrats want open borders and are unwilling to fund ICE and the Border Patrol unless it is paired with policy reforms.
UMVA has gathered that the legislative battle has been intense, with Democrats refusing to fund ICE and the Border Patrol unless it was paired with policy reforms. The party's hardball tactics sparked the longest government shutdown in history, which largely ended after Trump signed a partial DHS bill in April.
Top Democrats have been vocal in their opposition to the measure, arguing that it pours tax dollars into an agency that has brutalized and terrorized communities. They claim that Republican leadership is prioritizing ideology over common sense and that the measure lacks necessary reforms to ensure accountability and transparency.
Despite initial reservations from some conservative lawmakers, the measure ultimately passed with the support of most Republicans. The passage of the budget reconciliation bill comes after congressional Republicans failed to meet a June 1 deadline set by Trump to send the measure to his desk, and it remains to be seen how the legislation will impact the country's immigration policies.
