House Appropriations Committee Democrats Unite Against Funding Bill that Fails to Secure the Border

WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations Committee markup of the 2025 Homeland Security funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how the bill squanders billions of dollars on useless, ineffective border and enforcement measures while disregarding the threats presented by terrorists, transnational criminals, foreign adversaries, and violent extremists. House Democrats were united in their opposition to the legislation.

This bill:

• Fails to secure the border by wasting billions of dollarson ineffective and disproven strategies instead of investing in sustainable immigration reform that both strengthens border security and benefits American families and businesses.
• Deliberately forces chaos at the border and in cities across the country by eliminating the Shelter and Services Program and withholding the resources and policies needed to manage our border humanely and support communities receiving migrants across the U.S.
• Fails to protect Americans from terrorism and violent extremists byunderfunding programs that enhance regional preparedness and response capabilities and counter extremism.
• Weakens our national security through inadequate cybersecurity and infrastructure security investments, exposing the U.S. to increased cyberattacks and foreign adversary influence.

“At a time when the American people are looking to Congress to set aside partisan politics and do the right thing, this bill was an opportunity for us to meet a critical moment for the safety and security of our communities. But House Republicans have squandered it, choosing instead to advance partisan legislation that fails to address the challenges at our southern border and abandons our commitments to the American people,” said Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14). “Critically, this extreme bill eliminates the Shelter and Services Program leaving communities—like mine in Illinois—without the support they need to safely and humanely manage the surge of migrants seeking refuge. It wastes billions of dollars on ineffective and disproven border security strategies, and it severely underfunds programs across our government that keep us safe from terrorism and violent extremists, foreign influence, and cyberattacks. This extreme bill, full of harmful partisan policies, misses the mark and ignores our country’s most pressing needs, and I cannot support it.”

Congresswoman Underwood’s full remarks are here.

“House Republicans’ Homeland Security funding bill fails to address the crisis at the border, and instead, stokes chaos and disorder,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Instead of joining Democrats in finding ways to strengthen border security, the House majorityhas rejected every serious legislative effort to address and end the crisis at the border. The 2025 funding bill we considered today wastes taxpayer money on impractical border measures and ineffective barriers, rather than focusing resources where we need them most. This bill withholds the resources needed to secure the border, to process and vet the increased number of people arriving in the United States, and to support border communities and cities that are receiving migrants across the country. The majority’s bill also fails to protect Americans from terrorism and violent extremists and exposes the United States to increased cyberattacks and foreign adversary influence. We all know that the final version of this bill will require bipartisan negotiations to make sound investments. The majority must reconsider the path it is on, and when they do, I look forward to improving this bill so that we can manage our border responsibly and invest in programs that make our country more secure.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s full remarks are here.

A summary of the bill can be found here. A fact sheet of the bill is here.

The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here.

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