House Passes DHS Funding Bill, Faces Challenges on ICE and Border Patrol Funding
The House passed a Senate bipartisan bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the battle over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol remains. Republicans aim to fund ICE and Border Patrol for three years through reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster. The House adopted a Senate budget blueprint, starting the process, but there is still a long way to go before the bill reaches President Trump's desk.
Lawmakers face a tight deadline as Trump set a June 1 deadline for the bill. They must craft the bill and gather enough support in both chambers before the recess next week. The Senate bill must go through the "Byrd bath" process to remove non-budgetary provisions, adding to the tension among lawmakers. Speaker Mike Johnson must unite hard-line conservatives and moderates to support the package, with a slim margin for GOP defections.
Rep. Kevin Kiley emphasized the need for meaningful immigration enforcement reforms in the final bill. Getting a reconciliation bill passed in the House may be challenging, balancing conservative policies with swing seat concerns. Johnson expressed confidence in House Republicans' ability to deliver and emphasized the importance of consensus-building to fund border patrol and immigration enforcement for three years without Democratic reforms.