House passes immigration enforcement bill amid partisan divide

WASHINGTON —

The House of Representatives passed a controversial immigration enforcement bill backed by President Trump in a narrow 214-212 vote, advancing the legislation toward becoming law.

The bill funds the president’s immigration agenda through 2029, with Republican leaders emphasizing its importance for border security.

“They have made it crystal clear, the Democrat party in Washington, that they want to go back to open borders, and we’re not going to do that. We need to fully fund this department, especially at a time of heightened security threats,” said Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority leader.

The legislation allocates nearly $70 billion to immigration enforcement, including funding for more agents, expanded detention facility space, increased deportations, and partnerships between ICE and local law enforcement agencies.

The vote followed months of controversy and a record government shutdown over President Trump’s immigration crackdown. Democrats have pointed to claims of wrongful detentions, deadly enforcement incidents—including two Americans killed in Minnesota—protests against aggressive ICE operations, and lawsuits over expanded detention sites.

Democrats sought reforms such as requiring agents to show identification badges and obtain judicial warrants before entering private property, but these measures were excluded from the bill.

“Where is the common sense in giving this federal agency essentially unlimited funds without a single reform in place?” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democrat from California.

The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature to become law.