The measure passed by a razor-thin margin of 220–207, with the defectors providing the critical votes needed to overcome fierce opposition from the “Squad” and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
“SOMETHING BIG IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN”
The vote marks a major victory for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who hailed the passage as “making history.”
“We will be making history this week… A lot of people thought it would be impossible, but we stuck to it and stuck together,” Johnson declared.
The DHS bill is part of a broader $1.2 trillion package designed to avert a government shutdown by January 30. While the larger bundle passed with overwhelming support (341–88), the DHS portion triggered a firestorm due to its funding of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), voted against the measure.
“BRUTALIZE U.S. CITIZENS”
The vote comes amid exploding tensions over the recent death of Renée Nicole Good, a Minneapolis woman shot and killed by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries used the tragedy to rally opposition, accusing the Trump administration of using tax dollars to “brutalize” Americans.
“Kristi Noem and ICE are out of control,” Jeffries claimed. “Taxpayer dollars are being misused to brutalize U.S. citizens, including the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good. This extremism must end.“
Despite the marching orders, seven moderate Democrats—including Reps. Henry Cuellar (TX), Jared Golden (ME), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA)—flipped to support the bill, arguing that a government shutdown would be worse than funding the agency.
SENATE SHOWDOWN
The battle now moves to the Senate, where Democrats are already signaling resistance. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) slammed the bill for lacking “meaningful constraints” on what he called the “growing lawlessness of ICE.”
“Democrats have no obligation to support a bill that funds the dystopian scenes we are seeing in Minneapolis,” Murphy warned.
However, with the deadline looming and the House having done its job, the pressure is now squarely on Chuck Schumer to pass the bill or be responsible for shutting down the government. For now, the “Abolish ICE” movement has been dealt a crushing defeat by members of its own party.
