The House of Representatives has given the green light to a Republican-led immigration-enforcement bill worth $70 billion, thereby putting an end to a long-standing impasse over this segment of federal expenditure.
The bill was passed on Tuesday with a slim majority of 214-212. This follows the Senate’s approval of funding for the agencies last week, achieved through a special budget process that allowed Republicans to circumvent the 60-vote threshold typically required for most bills.
Congress previously secured funding for the bulk of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), though Democratic lawmakers blocked funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. The measure is expected to provide financing for those agencies through the end of President Donald Trump‘s second term.
The bill is now pending Trump’s signature.
Lawmakers React
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed his views on the matter during a press conference on Tuesday that funding for border security and immigration enforcement was “long overdue,” adding that it was “sad” Republicans had to pursue the effort on their own.
On the other hand, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said taxpayer dollars should be used to make life “more affordable for the American people,” rather than provide ICE with another “$70 billion blank check,” which he argued would enable the agency to “unleash brutality” and target law-abiding immigrant communities.
Immigration Policy Shifts Accelerate
This development comes in the wake of a series of immigration-related developments. Tom Homan, White House border czar, announced that New York City would witness its largest-ever deployment of ICE agents following Gov. Kathy Hochul‘s legislation limiting cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials.
In May, the Trump administration tightened immigration rules, requiring many foreign nationals seeking green cards to leave the U.S. and complete the application process from their home countries. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a policy change requiring most temporary visa holders seeking permanent residency to return to their home countries and apply through U.S. embassies or consulates, with exception requests reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Meanwhile, a federal judge ruled Trump’s controversial $100,000 H-1B visa fee unlawful, lifting a significant cost burden for large technology employers relying on skilled foreign talent.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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