The House of Representatives recently voted on amendments to the appropriations bill funding the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2025. One of the amendments, proposed by a Republican representative, aimed to block funds from being used to pay Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The amendment passed with a vote of 193 to 173, with only one Republican voting against it.
Another amendment, which sought to reduce Mayorkas' salary to zero, was proposed but failed to pass with a vote of 208 to 200. Mayorkas has been a target of criticism from House Republicans, who blame him for issues at the southern border. In fact, Mayorkas was impeached by the House in February, making him the first Cabinet secretary to face impeachment in over a century.
The DHS appropriations bill includes a significant increase in funding compared to the previous fiscal year, with provisions such as allocating $600 million for the completion of the border wall initiated during the Trump administration. Additionally, the bill includes measures to restrict funding for abortion care and transgender health care for noncitizens in ICE custody.
Several other amendments were passed, including one to prevent policies that would keep asylum seekers in Texas during claims processing and another to block DHS from implementing COVID-19 mask policies. The appropriations bill is set for a final vote on Friday, but its passage in the Democrat-led Senate is unlikely. The White House has already indicated a potential veto if the bill reaches President Biden's desk.
