House To Vote On Final Appropriations Bills Amid Democratic Split Over Homeland Security Funding

WASHINGTON — The House is poised to vote Thursday on the final four annual appropriations bills, an effort complicated by deep Democratic concerns that the measure funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) does not do enough to curb aggressive immigration enforcement tied to President Donald Trump's administration.

The chamber has already approved eight of the 12 spending bills that finance federal agencies and programs. If the remaining four clear the House, the legislation will move to the Senate; Congress must secure final passage before a Jan. 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Democratic Leaders Oppose Homeland Security Bill

House Democratic leaders — Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Katherine Clark (Mass.) and Pete Aguilar (Calif.) — told members in a closed-door meeting they would oppose the Homeland Security funding measure. Rank-and-file Democrats pressed for a stronger response to what they describe as an escalation in deportation operations, most recently focused on the Minneapolis area, where more than 2,000 officers were deployed and where an ICE enforcement action resulted in the death of Renee Good, a mother of three.

“There’s a very big concern about ICE being out of control,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Limited Options, Political Trade-Offs

Democrats face few politically viable options. Passing a continuing resolution to keep DHS funded at current levels through the remainder of the budget year would effectively leave key spending choices to the White House, while many lawmakers are wary of provoking another partial shutdown even if it would affect only part of the federal government.

“There is much more we must do to rein in DHS, which I will continue to press for. But the hard truth is that Democrats must win political power to enact the kind of accountability we need,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

What’s In The Bill

The Homeland Security bill holds ICE funding roughly flat compared with the prior year and includes provisions intended to limit the DHS secretary’s ability to unilaterally reprogram funds. The measure also designates $20 million specifically for enforcement-related equipment such as body cameras for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers when conducting operations.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

“It’s not everything we wanted. We wanted more oversight. But, look, Democrats don’t control the House. We don’t control the Senate or the White House. But we were able to add some oversight over Homeland,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a member of the Appropriations panel, who said he intends to vote for the bill.

A Divided Caucus

Many Democrats emerged from the closed-door caucus meeting with strong objections. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said she would never back what she called “lawless operations,” while Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said, “If it’s the status quo, I’m a no.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told colleagues the modest reforms in the bill — including the $20 million for body cameras and related changes — are insufficient. “Nobody should try to sell this as an improvement. It’s not an improvement,” she said.

At the same time, some Democrats in swing districts face pressure from Republican campaign groups. The House Republican campaign arm issued statements targeting roughly 20 Democrats, accusing them of appeasing calls to “defund ICE” and suggesting opposition could threaten national security.

Liberal advocacy organizations have ramped up their demands, urging Democrats to reject the bill outright and press for stronger restrictions on DHS operations. “The DHS bill that was released clearly falls far short, and should be roundly rejected,” said Andrew O’Neill, national advocacy director for Indivisible.

Republicans Expect Passage

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed confidence the funding package, including the Homeland Security measure, will pass the House. With a slim GOP majority, Republican leaders can tolerate a modest number of defections and still advance the bills.

The full package before the House totals roughly $1.2 trillion in discretionary spending, with about two-thirds earmarked for the Defense Department. Other agencies covered include Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. Major mandatory programs such as Social Security and Medicare are not affected by the annual appropriations process.