House Speaker Mike Johnson is holding firm on his demands for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, refusing to support any deal that excludes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Johnson's stance comes amid ongoing GOP resistance to bipartisan compromises that would fund DHS without adequately addressing immigration enforcement.
Johnson's Red Line on Funding
Johnson criticized a recent proposal that would allocate zero dollars to border security and immigration enforcement. 'They sent us a bill that literally put the number zero in the bill for the funding of border security and customs and immigration enforcement. We can't do that,' Johnson said during a Fox News interview. His position reflects the GOP's broader concerns about national sovereignty and the need for robust border security measures.
'The Senate has to do its job and help us on this heavy lift,' Johnson emphasized.
Bipartisan Talks Stall
Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats have been at a standstill for six weeks, with Democrats insisting on immigration reforms that are unacceptable to many GOP hardliners. Meanwhile, some Republicans are exploring alternative solutions, such as using the reconciliation process to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold, though this approach would require significant time.
Alternative Proposals
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, are pushing a bill to fully fund DHS while implementing ICE reforms. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has expressed support for the proposal, stating he won't back any bill that doesn't fully fund the department. However, GOP leadership has yet to weigh in on this alternative.
As the funding deadline looms, Johnson's commitment to a GOP-only solution underscores the deepening divide on Capitol Hill over how to address immigration enforcement and national security.