By Adam Pack
he House of Representatives narrowly approved a spending bill Thursday funding the Department of Homeland Security — and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — over the vast majority of Democrats’ fierce objections.
Lawmakers voted 220-207 to approve the standalone bill with just seven Democrats supporting the measure. House Democrats have largely opposed continuing to fund ICE absent sweeping reforms following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. (RELATED: Minnesota’s Assistant AG Was Allegedly Active Participant In Anti-ICE Groups)
“[Department of Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem and ICE are out of control,” House Democratic leadership said in a statement Thursday. “Taxpayer dollars are being misused to brutalize U.S. citizens, including the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good. This extremism must end.”
Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie — a fiscal hawk facing a primary challenger backed by President Donald Trump — was the lone Republican to vote against the DHS spending bill funding ICE, the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) among other agencies.
Republican Reps. Wesley Hunt of Texas and Andy Harris of Maryland did not vote. Hunt, who had been campaigning in Texas, was en route to the Capitol at the time of the vote.
House Democratic leadership announced they would oppose the DHS funding bill during a closed-door meeting Wednesday. However, they did not whip against the bill, arguing that members should vote in a way that reflects their districts.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dodged a question from the Daily Caller News Foundation on Thursday probing whether there is room for lawmakers who want to fund ICE in the Democratic Party.
“In a representative democracy, you’re never going to achieve unanimity on every issue if it’s functioning the right way,” Jeffries told the DCNF during a press conference Thursday. “You get unanimity, when you have a cult.”
Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lead Democrat on the Homeland Security subpanel of the Appropriations Committee was one of seven Democrats who supported the measure.
Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Don Davis of North Carolina, Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen of New York also voted for the DHS funding bill.
The DHS funding bill also includes $2.2 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Conservatives have sharply criticized the agency for previously collaborating with organizations to suppress online speech, including election integrity and the origins of COVID-19.
Lawmakers also overwhelmingly approved a separate $1.2 trillion minibus package Thursday approving funding for the Departments of War, Health and Human Services, Education and other agencies in a vote of 341-88.
Republican leaders sharply criticized Democrats for opposing the funding of ICE for the remainder of the fiscal year.
“This is not a game. We can’t do a CR [continuing resolution] on homeland security,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “If anyone’s playing political games with that, they’re going to have to take it up with their constituents.”
Nearly six in ten likely voters believe ICE’s presence in communities have been more harmful than helpful, according to a Emerson College Polling survey released Thursday.
Many Democratic lawmakers are also using increasingly belligerent rhetoric to describe ICE.
“I believe we need to stop giving money to an organization that is terrorizing our communities,” Democratic New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury told the DCNF in a brief interview.
