The House Freedom Caucus wants the chamber’s GOP leaders to tee up a vote to codify President Trump’s immigration policies before the midterm elections in November, giving Republicans a major win by ensuring a secure border lasts beyond the Trump administration.
The hard-line conservative caucus is pushing for the passage of the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act, which would enshrine in law such policies as completion of the border wall, ending catch-and-release practices and stricter standards for asylum requests.
“President Trump won’t be president forever,” said Rep. Keith Self, Texas Republican, in a statement supporting the push. “The moment he leaves office, future administrations could tear down every border security measure with a single executive order.”
Rep. Michael Cloud, Texas Republican, said in a statement that he too is “committed to making these policies permanent.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has not guaranteed a vote on the bill.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican, said some vulnerable Republicans are not eager to vote on border policies ahead of the midterms. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to have consensus before we can move forward,” he said.
Congress has not made a full-throated effort to codify Mr. Trump’s border policies during his second term.
The House Judiciary Committee has yet to mark up the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act. A similar bill passed the House in 2023 in a 219-213 vote with no Democratic support. The vote would likely be tighter this year.
Republicans currently have a 218-212 majority in the House, and Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, voted against the bill in 2023.
The 2023 bill died in the Democrat-run Senate without getting a vote. This time, Republicans have the majority in the Senate, but Democrats could kill the bill with a filibuster.
Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland Republican, said that, at the very least, a House vote would put lawmakers on record.
“I think every member of the House should be on record for where they stand on an open border,” he told The Washington Times.
To become law, the border bill would have to pass through the Senate, where most bills are subject to a 60-vote filibuster threshold. Harris suggested a House vote puts the onus on the Senate to make clear where it stands, as well.
Mr. Harris said Senate Majority Leader John Thune should put the bill to a vote in his chamber. “Let’s show the American people who in Congress supports a wide-open border,” he said.
Time is running out in the 119th Congress. In a little over two weeks, the House is scheduled to break for its monthlong August recess.
Some in the Freedom Caucus are displeased with the way the chamber is budgeting its time.
“This week, the House is voting to make daylight saving time permanent while these actual priorities sit stalled in Congress,” Mr. Self said on social media.
