The Senate passed the already laborious bill after a lengthy vote.
House passes bill paving the way for $70 billion in ICE funding
The House passed a bill that would pave the way for $70 billion in additional funding for immigration enforcement.
WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives has passed a massive cash influx bill of about $70 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Security, sending the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.
The chamber approved the partisan bill on Tuesday, June 9, by a vote of 214-212. The Senate passed the bill last week, with all Democrats voting against it and only one Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Passage of the security bill in the House marks the last real hurdle for the controversial bill, a major Republican priority heading into the midterm elections, after months of back and forth on Capitol Hill over immigration enforcement funding after federal agents killed two Minnesotans earlier this year.
The additional funding, which would provide funding for three years, comes as political rifts between Republicans and Democrats over support for ICE and Border Patrol intensify ahead of the November election. It could likely be one of the final pieces of major legislation that Congressional Republicans, who hold a slim House majority, can realistically get across the finish line by then.
The agencies were excluded from a sweeping Department of Homeland Security spending bill passed by Congress in late April following a record-long partial government shutdown. After federal agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti, Democrats took a deep stance and refused to fund immigration enforcement unless there were major reforms.
“Republicans gave ICE $170 billion last July, and they want to give it another $70 billion within a year,” Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) said on the House floor. “$240 Billion for Honest to God Stormtroopers.”
Without help from Democrats, Republicans relied on a budget process called reconciliation to pass the bill. This maneuver allowed Republican leaders to circumvent Democrats and circumvent the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
Before the bill was passed on June 9, Republicans blasted Democratic lawmakers for what they viewed as anti-law enforcement stances.
“It’s a travesty to hear such derogatory language and to see my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives denigrate those who wear the uniform and represent all of us and our families,” Rep. Jody Arrington (R-Texas) said on the House floor.
Zachary Schermele is a Congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
