Members of the House Freedom Caucus are pushing chamber leaders to schedule a vote on legislation that would codify President Trump’s border security policies into law, arguing that a change in administration could otherwise unravel the current border posture with a single executive order.
The group is backing the Permanent Trump Secure Border Act, which would write into statute measures including completion of the border wall, an end to catch-and-release practices, and tighter standards for asylum claims. Supporters say permanent legislation is the only way to ensure these policies survive beyond the current presidency.
Representative Keith Self said the urgency stems from the temporary nature of executive action. “President Trump won’t be president forever,” he said. “The moment he leaves office, future administrations could tear down every border security measure with a single executive order.”
Representative Michael Cloud said he shares that concern, adding that he is “committed to making these policies permanent.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to scheduling a vote on the bill. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said some members are wary of taking up border policy so late in the current session. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to have consensus before we can move forward,” he said.
The House Judiciary Committee has not yet marked up the legislation. A similar version of the bill passed the House in 2023 by a 219-213 margin, without any support from the opposing party. Given the current 218-212 majority and Representative Thomas Massie’s opposition to the 2023 measure, this year’s vote would likely be closer.
The 2023 bill never received a vote in the Senate. This time, the chamber is under different leadership, though legislation would still need to clear a 60-vote filibuster threshold to advance.
Representative Andy Harris argued that even a narrow outcome would serve a purpose by forcing lawmakers to declare their positions publicly. “I think every member of the House should be on record for where they stand on an open border,” he said.
Harris said the responsibility should extend to the Senate as well, calling on Majority Leader John Thune to bring the bill to the floor. “Let’s show the American people who in Congress supports a wide-open border,” he said.
The House is approaching its August recess, narrowing the window for action in the current legislative session.
Frustration over how that remaining time is being used has surfaced among some Freedom Caucus members. Self criticized the chamber’s priorities on social media, writing, “This week, the House is voting to make daylight saving time permanent while these actual priorities sit stalled in Congress.”
Whether leadership schedules a vote before the recess remains an open question, one that will likely shape how border policy factors into campaign messaging heading into the midterms.
