House Freedom Caucus says it won’t support current DHS deal

The conservative House Freedom Caucus said it will not support the current DHS funding deal, complicating quick passage in the lower chamber. The group demanded that the House reattach funding for immigration enforcement, as well as add a voter ID provision, before sending it back to the Senate.

Their opposition means GOP leaders face major hurdles in bringing up the legislation through the Rules Committee and advancing it to a vote on final passing via a party-line simple majority vote.

GOP Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, the group’s chairman, said they have made it clear to GOP leaders that they will not provide their votes to pass it under suspension of the rules, meaning it would need strong backing from Democrats to reach the two-thirds majority threshold.

“The only thing we’re going to support is adding that funding into the bill, adding voter ID, sending it back to the Senate,” Harris said, calling it a “bad” deal.

“We stand united,” he said.

GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the Rules Committee, said it’s “offensive” that the Senate would approve a bill that does not fund immigration enforcement.

“Could the Senate be any more lazy than to send to us a bill that doesn’t do the job and then leave town,” Roy said. “We’re going to stand up and say no to that.”

House Freedom Caucus members are currently huddling in Johnson’s office.