Republican lawmakers are preparing to use their control of both the House and Senate to push forward President-elect Donald Trump’s tougher immigration policies. As part of this effort, Senate Republicans are planning an $85 billion allocation for border security in the initial budget reconciliation bill. This process allows the Senate to bypass the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster. With a 53-47 majority in the Senate next year, Republicans aim to act swiftly on immigration issues.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., highlighted that Congress and Trump’s transition team are already working closely to align their priorities. “We’re making sure we’re all on the same page from day one,” Scalise said. He noted the focus on energy costs, tax reform, and, notably, border security.
Stephen Miller, appointed by Trump as deputy chief of staff for policy, elaborated on the legislative goals during a Fox News appearance. He confirmed that Republican leaders, including incoming Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are committed to sending a border security package to Trump early in his presidency. This plan includes significant increases in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, border patrol agents, and funding for military operations. It also envisions a large-scale effort to eliminate criminal gangs and drug cartels.
In addition to legislative action, Trump intends to use executive orders to initiate mass deportations and further secure the border. These actions, Miller explained, would align with the broader goal of “sealing the border” and represent a major shift in U.S. immigration policy.
Graham, who will become the Senate Budget Committee chairman, emphasized that the reconciliation bill will focus on completing the border wall and expanding technological surveillance at the border. He also highlighted the need to hire more personnel for deportation efforts.
While the primary focus is on funding and border security, there is some uncertainty regarding which elements will make it through the reconciliation process. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pointed out that Trump has already secured a pledge from Mexico to help curb illegal immigration, human trafficking, and the flow of fentanyl.
House Republicans are eager to pass a more comprehensive immigration bill, similar to one they approved earlier this year, though it stalled in the Senate. Some of these provisions may be included in the budget reconciliation bill, but others will require the standard legislative process, which requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a staunch advocate for strict immigration policies, argued that the reconciliation process could help secure additional resources for ICE to increase deportations. Roy also suggested imposing fees on remittances sent by immigrants to their home countries and charging individuals who have been paroled into the U.S. illegally.
Roy expects the House’s earlier immigration package to be reintroduced, with potential adjustments. He believes that certain provisions, such as funding for the border wall and ICE, could be included in the reconciliation bill.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., one of the lawmakers involved in bipartisan border negotiations this year, also sees reconciliation as a potential avenue for funding immigration enforcement measures like deportation flights and detention facilities. However, Lankford clarified that policy changes would likely require separate legislation.
Lankford also proposed using the budget process to support the National Vetting Center, an initiative to better assess the risks posed by individuals crossing the border. This program, he noted, has long been underfunded.
The exact details of the reconciliation process are still being worked out, but Republicans are determined to make immigration a central focus in the early days of the Trump administration.
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