House Republicans on Tuesday passed the Secure America Act, a nearly $70 billion budget reconciliation package that funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through 2029. The bill, which cleared the Senate last week, allocates $38 billion to ICE, $26 billion to Customs and Border Protection, and $5 billion more to the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation now heads to President Trump's desk.
The package directs long-term funding for agencies central to Trump's immigration crackdown, ending a months-long standoff with Democrats over immigration enforcement spending. The nearly $70 billion total — reported as $69.5 billion by some sources — locks in resources for detention, deportation, and border security operations for the remainder of Trump's term.
The vote was 214-212, falling almost entirely along party lines. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and GOP leaders had pushed for the bill's passage amid a broader legislative crunch, including a long-term extension of warrantless surveillance powers under FISA. No Democrats supported the measure.
Public opinion on the package remains sharply divided. Polling cited by some outlets shows a majority of Republican voters strongly back increased immigration enforcement funding, while Democratic voters broadly oppose it. The bill's passage is expected to energize Trump's base ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated Tuesday that a third reconciliation bill is unlikely, complicating future GOP efforts to fund defense priorities. Analysts warn the immigration bill's cost could strain future budgets without complementary spending cuts.