Late Thursday night the House of Representatives passed a $1.1 trillion spending package. Although the legislation takes minor steps to limit funding for Homeland Security through February, the legislation does not take immediate steps to defund President Obama's recent executive action on illegal immigration. More from Heritage:
The $1.1 trillion, 1,603-page (update 1,764-page) bill would fund most of the federal government through September 30, 2015 while extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until February 27, 2015. Importantly, the bill does nothing to block President Obama’s unilateral, unlawful actions which include granting quasi-legal status, work permits and Social Security numbers to those who are in the country illegally.
The spending bill has moved over to the Senate side and will be debated Friday and possibly into the weekend. Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, a long-time outspoken opponent of President Obama's executive illegal immigration policies and changes, is vowing to fight "harder than ever" to get funding stripped immediately.
“For the sake of the Constitution and our constituents, Congress should fund the government but not fund the President’s unlawful amnesty. In plain violation of law, the President’s order gives amnesty and work permits to 5 million illegal immigrants – allowing them to take jobs directly from struggling Americans. Unfortunately, not only has Congress so far not attempted any effective action to block the President’s amnesty, but the legislation that passed tonight funds through September of next year many policies that the House itself rejected only a few months ago. In effect, the omnibus provides the Administration with billions of dollars to carry out President Obama’s resettlement plan for illegal immigrants in U.S. communities. The legislation also continues to allow the recipients of the President’s amnesty to receive billions of dollars in government checks in the form of tax credits and to participate in programs through myriad government agencies such as Social Security and Medicare," Sessions released in a statement. "The American people are justly worried about their jobs, their schools, and their communities. They have rightly demanded a lawful system of immigration that serves their interests – not the special interests. They have correctly pleaded with their lawmakers to finally adopt immigration policies that put their needs – the needs of American citizens – first. So, to them I say: we are only just beginning. We are going to fight harder than we ever have before."
Based on past statements, Sessions will likely find an ally in the fight against President Obama's executive action on illegal immigration with Texas Republican Ted Cruz, who called on the House more than a week ago to strip the now passed spending bill of amnesty funding.