The House narrowly approved a bill Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the fiscal year, pushing the measure across the finish line by a 220-207 vote after a tense debate that highlighted deep divisions over immigration enforcement and the future of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Seven Democrats broke with the bulk of their party to join Republicans in backing the legislation, which keeps DHS and its component agencies, including ICE, funded through the end of September. Under the bill, ICE will receive $10 billion for the current fiscal year. That funding comes on top of substantial resources the agency already controls, following last year’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocated $85 billion to ICE. That total exceeds what many nations spend on their entire militaries in a single year.
Despite strong opposition from progressive lawmakers, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted against the bill but did not formally whip his caucus to oppose it. According to reporting from The American Prospect, Democratic leadership recommended voting no but stopped short of an active whipping effort. Two congressional sources told the outlet that party leaders were wary of the political consequences of being seen as opposing law enforcement.
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement,” one Capitol Hill source told the Prospect. The source added that leadership hoped to move past the immigration debate and refocus attention on cost-of-living issues, but acknowledged that the controversy surrounding ICE funding is unlikely to fade.
On the Republican side, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie was the lone GOP lawmaker to vote against the bill, citing his long-standing fiscal concerns. Four Republicans did not cast votes.
The seven Democrats who supported the DHS funding measure were Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Laura Gillen of New York, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, and Tom Suozzi of New York. Their votes underscored the political tightrope faced by Democrats representing swing districts or border states, where opposition to funding DHS can carry significant electoral risks.
The vote comes amid growing criticism of ICE from Democratic lawmakers and progressive activists. Many Democrats have accused the agency of using aggressive and heavy-handed tactics during enforcement operations, sometimes affecting both immigrants and U.S. citizens.
Tensions intensified earlier this month after ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis. The incident sparked protests and renewed scrutiny of ICE operations in the city. ICE and Border Patrol agents operating in the area have asserted broad enforcement powers, including the ability to enter homes without a judicial warrant, a claim that has fueled outrage among local officials and civil liberties groups.
The shooting and subsequent enforcement actions have become a rallying point for critics calling for reforms or reductions in ICE’s authority and funding. At the same time, Republican leaders have argued that continued funding is essential to maintaining border security and enforcing federal immigration law.
Thursday’s vote reflects that unresolved conflict. While the DHS funding bill passed, the narrow margin and cross-party defections illustrate how politically charged the issue has become. With ICE set to remain a central focus of national debate, lawmakers on both sides appear braced for continued clashes over immigration enforcement, law enforcement funding, and the balance between security and civil liberties.
[READ MORE: Bill O’Reilly Reveals Illness, Promises Return as Supporters Wish Him Well]
