Senate advances bill to fund immigration enforcement

This morning, the U.S. Senate approved a $70 billion budget reconciliation package that funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations for the remainder of Pres. Trump’s term. The immigration enforcement agencies have gone without regular funding since February, when Democrats forced a partial government shutdown. They refused to support a funding bill unless it included a list of proposals that would prevent most immigration enforcement.

All Senate Republicans except Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the bill, which only required a simple majority. All Senate Democrats except Michael Bennet (D-CO), who was absent, opposed immigration enforcement. The budget reconciliation package now moves to the House, which is expected to vote on the legislation sometime next week.

Earlier this week, the Immigration Accountability Project spearheaded a coalition letter to GOP Senators urging them to pass the much-needed funding package.

"Despite winning the election on this issue, Congress has failed to perform its key constitutional function: funding the enforcement of our duly enacted immigration laws at the border and within the United States. Now is the time to rectify that failure."

You can read the full letter here.

SAVE Act amendments fail

The Senate voted on two attempts to attach the SAVE America Act to the budget reconciliation bill. The SAVE America Act would require a valid ID to vote and documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The amendments needed 60 votes to pass.

The first version, offered by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), only received 48 votes. This version included several unrelated provisions that Pres. Trump demanded. Four Republicans, including Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined all Democrats (except Bennet) to defeat the amendment.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) offered an amendment that included the House-passed version of the SAVE America Act. Sen. Lee’s amendment garnered 50 votes in favor, demonstrating to Senate Leadership that the bill could be passed by the Senate if only a majority vote were needed and Vice Pres. Vance broke the tie. Sens. McConnell, Tillis, and Murkowski were the Republicans who voted against the amendment.

Rep. DesJarlais makes big move in Immigration Rankings

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) jumped 23 spots in this week's release of the Congressional Immigration Rankings, according to IAP Action. Rep. DesJarlais now ranks No. 65 overall in the House.

Rep. DesJarlais cosponsored two bills identified as key legislation by IAP Action. The Nuclear Family Priority Act, H.R. 2705, would end chain migration, and the Stopping Border Surges Act, H.R. 116, which would close loopholes to prevent future border surges.

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) fell 10 spots this week after cosponsoring three bad bills. Rep. Moulton ranks No. 344 overall in the House. He cosponsored the Born in the USA Act, H.R. 3368, which would nullify Pres. Trump's executive order the ends birthright citizenship, the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act, H.R. 7608, which would bar the detention and removal of illegal aliens from Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam, and the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act, H.R. 7836, which would remove immigration courts from the purview of the Executive Branch.

You can view the full Immigration Rankings at IAPAction.com.

Immigration Articles

@DataRepublican: ORG CHART EXPOSED: Which NGOs Are Organizing the Newark Protests, and How

The article from our friend @DataRepublican details how a highly structured, four-layer operational network of NGOs and out-of-state organizers mobilized and abruptly disbanded the Newark ICE facility protests using an interconnected command, cell-based dispatch, and professional tactical and logistical framework. 

Indiana Governor’s Office: Attorney General Todd Rokita leads 13-state coalition supporting stronger wage protections for American workers

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a 13-state coalition to support a U.S. Department of Labor proposed rule that increases prevailing wage requirements for foreign workers (including H-1B visa holders) to protect American jobs and prevent wage suppression.

DOJ: Alien Sent to Prison for Illegally Voting in North Carolina Elections

In the latest example of that thing that never happens continuing to happen, a Canadian citizen was sentenced to two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally voting in nine federal elections between 2004 and 2024 by falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on voter registration applications. 

The Federalist: Exclusive: Meet The Kids’ Book Character Challenging The Left’s Pro-Illegal Immigration Narrative

A new children's book, Diego the Dingo Finds His Way Home, was written by our friends Mike Howell and Ryan Neuhaus to counter anti-ICE narratives by positively portraying the enforcement of immigration laws and the deportation of illegal aliens.

Next Week

The House and Senate return next week, and the top priority will be moving the Senate-passed reconciliation bill through the House to fully fund ICE and Border Patrol operations through the end of FY29.