House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to advance a Senate-passed bill that would fund parts of the Department of Homeland Security while excluding ICE, calling the text "haphazardly drafted." Democrats have vowed to withhold ICE funding after several high-profile incidents involving ICE agents, producing a funding impasse that has strained DHS operations and led to long TSA lines at airports. Johnson says House Republicans will propose a modified measure to avoid "orphaning" key DHS agencies such as the Secret Service and to maintain immigration and border enforcement.
Johnson Rejects Senate Bill To Fund DHS Without ICE, Vows GOP Rewrite To Protect Key Agencies
Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Monday again refused to advance a Senate-passed measure that would reopen Department of Homeland Security operations while excluding funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Democrats have said they will not support any spending package that includes ICE funding following a series of high-profile incidents involving ICE agents. That partisan impasse has left DHS operating without a new appropriations package, a shortfall that has especially strained the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Travelers at major U.S. airports have reported dramatically longer security lines in recent weeks, even though the GOP-led Senate has twice approved a bill to fund TSA and other DHS components while withholding full funding for ICE.
On Monday, CNN reporter Manu Raju asked Johnson why he wouldn’t bring the Senate bill to the House floor despite it having passed the Senate twice.
"It has some problematic language because it was haphazardly drafted," Johnson said. "And so we’ve stated our objections about that very clearly."
Pressed on whether he would ever schedule the Senate text for a House vote, Johnson said the House GOP has prepared a modified version. "We have a modified version that I think is going to be much better for both chambers. It doesn’t change the substance, but it makes sure that we’re not going to orphan two of the primary agencies of DHS. We have to make sure that immigration law is enforced and that the border is safe and secure. Democrats don’t want to have any part of that, so unfortunately, we have to do that on our own," he added.
Johnson’s comments signal that House Republicans intend to propose a revised funding measure that, in their view, preserves support for key DHS components — including the Secret Service and other operational units — while addressing immigration and border enforcement priorities. It remains unclear when the House will vote on the GOP alternative or whether Democrats will accept any compromise.
Context: The disagreement highlights a broader funding and oversight dispute over immigration enforcement and accountability for ICE. Lawmakers on both sides face pressure to restore full DHS funding to avoid further operational disruptions, particularly at airports and border operations.
The post "Mike Johnson Rejects Bill to Fully Fund DHS, Including the Secret Service, Without ICE" first appeared on Mediaite.
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