The House passed the Laken Riley Act on Tuesday, with a majority of Democrats voting against the bill.
The Laken Riley Act is the first bill in the 119th Congress addressing illegal immigration, requiring that aliens charged with theft or burglary be detained. The landmark legislation was named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered by an illegal alien while she was jogging at the University of Georgia.
Despite the overwhelming resistance from 159 Democrats, 48 voted with 216 Republicans to pass the legislation.
'President Biden never apologized to Laken's family for allowing her killer into our country, but he DID apologize for calling that monster an illegal.'
The bill was also passed in the House during the 118th Congress, with 170 Democrats voting against it. Notably, 37 Democrats joined 214 Republicans to pass the bill.
Speaker Mike Johnson praised the legislation, saying it will "ensure criminals like Laken's murderer are detained & deported before they can commit such evil acts."
"President Biden never apologized to Laken's family for allowing her killer into our country, but he DID apologize for calling that monster an illegal," Johnson added.
Under President Joe Biden's administration, there have been over 8 million encounters with illegal migrants on the southern border alone. As a result, illegal immigration has exacerbated the housing crisis and flooded communities with criminals, all at the cost of the taxpayer.
"This isn’t a partisan issue, but those on the Left will continue to prioritize 'political correctness' over American lives," Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said.
After enduring four years of the Biden administration's burdensome border crisis, Americans rejected the Democratic Party at the ballot box.
Leading up to the presidential election, immigration had become a top priority for voters. President-elect Donald Trump spent his campaign addressing illegal immigration as a crisis and vowing mass deportations. At the same time, Trump's Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, avoided the topic altogether.
The message on November 5 was loud and clear, and Congress took note.
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After President-elect Donald Trump swept all seven swing states and the popular vote on November 5, the Republican Party has largely fallen behind his MAGA mandate.
Although Trump has become the face of the Republican Party, some defectors have required the shepherding of the president-elect in order to effectively implement this MAGA mandate.
While Republicans control both the executive and the legislative branches, the narrow majorities in the House and Senate have left the GOP with very little wiggle room to implement Trump's policy agenda. But where pressure is needed, pressure has been applied, and it has worked.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Trump is the only Republican with the Midas touch of political viability.
One of the earliest examples of Trump's effective pressure campaign was when Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa withheld from formally endorsing Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and veteran who was nominated to head the Department of Defense. Ernst, who focuses much of her advocacy towards victims of sexual abuse in the military, privately expressed reservations about Hegseth, who was facing several allegations, including sexual misconduct. Importantly, Hegseth and many of his former colleagues have firmly denied these allegations.
After the pair first met on Capitol Hill, sources close to the Senate confirmed to Blaze News that Ernst had begun lobbying against Hegseth's nomination. One source told Blaze News that Ernst lends her ear to the old guard, establishment Republicans in the Senate, serving as a "useful proxy" for former leader Mitch McConnell.
Once reports shed light on Ernst's disapproval of Hegseth, the Trump world launched an online pressure campaign to sway the senator. Trump even threatened to primary Republican senators who withheld support from his Cabinet nominees. Ernst quickly caved to the pressure, warming up to Hegseth and leaning into more of the MAGA message.
At the same time, this was not an isolated incident. During the December funding fight on the House side, Trump put his thumb on the scale to produce a more favorable outcome.
Speaker Mike Johnson initially introduced a bloated 1,547-page continuing resolution just days before the government was set to shut down, prompting outrage from fiscal conservatives in the Republican conference. MAGA allies like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy also chimed in and criticized the funding bill. However, Trump's condemnation of the CR was the final blow.
Johnson quickly returned to the drawing board and made as many amendments as Trump demanded. The amended CR went up for a vote but was struck down due to a provision that raised the debt ceiling, one of Trump's demands. Despite this, the House eventually passed the slimmer 116-page CR that omitted the debt ceiling provision, averting a government shutdown.
Despite some blunders, Johnson has secured Trump's blessing.
Shortly after the end-of-year spending fight, Johnson was facing a challenging reelection to the speakership. Ahead of the January 3 election, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky vowed to vote against Johnson, who could only afford one "no vote" given the GOP's historically slim margins. Despite Trump's endorsement of the Speaker, several other fiscal conservatives also expressed hesitancies about reelecting Johnson.
While the election was taking place, seven Republicans initially refrained from voting for Johnson altogether. Among them was Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a staunch fiscal conservative who, along with Massie, endorsed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in the GOP presidential primary. Although Roy had previously defected from Trump, he eventually changed his vote to Johnson because of his "steadfast support of President Trump."
This left Johnson with a total of three defections. Massie voted for Majority Whip Tom Emmer, which remained unchanged in the final vote tally. Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina officially voted for Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Rep. Keith Self of Texas voted for Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida.
At this point, Johnson had come up two votes short of securing a second term. Rather than moving on to a second round of voting, which has historically lost votes for candidates, Johnson, Norman, Self, and other Republicans huddled in a room off of the House floor.
In order to secure another political victory, Trump reportedly called Norman and Self in order to sway their votes. Just minutes later, the two defectors approached the clerk and voted for Johnson, securing his speakership in just one round of votes.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Trump is the only Republican with the Midas touch of political viability.
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The House narrowly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) for a second term in the first round of votes on Friday.
In the final tally, Johnson received 218 votes, the bare minimum to secure the speakership. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) received 215 votes.
Seven Republicans, including Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, initially skipped out on the election, later changing their vote to Johnson. Three Republicans initially voted for other members entirely. Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted for Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Rep. Keith Self of Texasa voted for Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, although they both eventually changed their votes to Johnson.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the only member in the final tally who voted against Johnson, opting instead for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).
Given the Republicans' narrow, four-seat majority, Johnson could afford only one "no" vote, which Massie claimed leading up to Friday. In addition to Massie, several Republicans like Roy expressed hesitancy about supporting Johnson, citing fiscal concerns.
'Republicans have a mandate to implement the America First Agenda, and as Speaker, this will be my priority.'
"We saw this movie in 2023, and everyone knows the sequel always sucks," Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia said in an X post following the vote.
Just minutes before the House was set to vote for a speaker, Johnson released a lengthy commitment to "return to fiscal sanity" in a last-ditch attempt to appeal to the potential defectors and secure his second term.
"Republicans have a real opportunity in the next two years to make meaningful spending reforms to eliminate trillions in waste, fraud, and abuse, and end the weaponization of government," Johnson said. "Along with advancing President Trump’s America First agenda, I will lead the House Republicans to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, hold the bureaucracy accountable, and move the United States to a more sustainable fiscal trajectory."
"If we want to restore fiscal responsibility, we must start by being transparent about the dollars that are spent, address the issues we find, and then hold those accountable who have misspent funds," Johnson continued. "Republicans have a mandate to implement the America First Agenda, and as Speaker, this will be my priority."
Despite the tumultuous end-of-year spending fight, Johnson also secured President-elect Donald Trump's endorsement on Monday, as well as a last-minute boost of "good luck" on Friday just hours before the 119th Congress was gaveled in.
"Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! - A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED. MAGA!"
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President-elect Donald Trump wished Mike Johnson "good luck" ahead of the speaker's bid for re-election on Friday.
To secure a second term as speaker, Johnson needs to secure 218 votes of the 219 Republican members in the House, meaning he can afford only one GOP "no" vote. Although Republicans are operating within a historically narrow majority, several fiscally conservative Republicans are expected to be roadblocks for Johnson's speakership.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has already publicly committed not to vote for Johnson. Other Republicans like Chip Roy of Texas, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Michael Cloud of Texas have remained undecided, with some asking for further commitments from the speaker.
All 215 Democrats are expected to be present for the vote, tightening Johnson's already slim margins.
"Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support," Trump said in a Friday post on Truth Social. "A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year most consequential Presidential Election!! - A BIG AFFIRMATION, INDEED. MAGA!"
"Thank you, President Trump!" Johnson said in response. "Today is a new day in America. Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda. Let’s get it done."
Trump officially endorsed Johnson on Monday following the funding debacle in mid-December. Although Republican lawmakers, MAGA allies, and Trump himself were displeased with Johnson's handling of the spending fight, the president-elect ultimately backed the speaker for another term.
"The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday. "Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!"
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Speaker Mike Johnson's re-election is set to take place Friday, but he may not have enough support within the Republican conference to secure another term.
Although Johnson has obtained the support of President-elect Donald Trump, several Republican lawmakers are holding out on endorsing the speaker. Republicans hold an even narrower four-seat majority this Congress, giving Johnson very little wiggle room.
'Johnson's issue is that his two outspoken holdouts currently are also the two people left who endorsed Trump's opponent in the primary, so I don't see them going back in the Johnson camp with just pressure from Trump.'
Republicans hold 219 seats while Democrats hold 215. Assuming the two parties vote in lock-step, Johnson can afford only one Republican "no" vote, which has already been claimed by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. If Johnson receives two "no" votes, his support will be tied at 217 votes in favor and 217 votes against his speakership.
"I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan," Massie said. "We’ve seen Johnson partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget."
"Mike Johnson is the next Paul Ryan," Massie said. "On January 3rd, 2025, I won’t be voting for Mike Johnson. I hope my colleague will join me because history will not give America another 'do-over.'"
There is some leeway for Johnson if some Republican defectors vote "present" rather than joining forces with Democrats to strike down his speakership. As of this writing, several Republican lawmakers have signaled that they are undecided on whether they would support Johnson.
"The reason I am still undecided on the Speaker vote (as opposed to a hard no) is it's not ALL the fault of Speaker Johnson & my desire is to give him grace & Trump room to deliver on a strong agenda for which we were elected," Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said. "But something MUST change."
Roy primarily cited the most recent spending fight that took place right before Christmas in which Johnson first introduced a 1,547-page funding bill. The original bill was struck down by GOP defectors as well as Trump's political allies before the House even had the opportunity to vote for it. Eventually, a slimmer 116-page continuing resolution was introduced, narrowly averting a Christmas shutdown.
Congress' annual Christmas tradition of jamming through a Christmas omnibus all "could have been avoided with any serious planning & communication," Roy said, "but instead coordinated efforts were undertaken to vilify those (half NOT freedom caucus) who honored their promise to constituents not to do so."
With Massie's "no" vote and Roy's potential holdout, Johnson's speakership would be tanked on Friday. Notably, both Massie and Roy supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary, signaling they are less influenced by Trump's endorsement of Johnson than other lawmakers are.
"I don't see how Johnson gets 218 without major commitments to conservatives at this point," a House Republican aide told Blaze News. "Johnson's issue is that his two outspoken holdouts currently are also the two people left who endorsed Trump's opponent in the primary, so I don't see them going back in the Johnson camp with just pressure from Trump. Gonna need more than that at this point."
Although Roy and Massie have been the most outspoken about Johnson's speakership, several other Republicans have expressed hesitancy.
"I'm going to talk to Mike and raise any concerns I have," Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told Blaze News. "As of right now I'm still undecided."
Republican Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas also told Blaze News that he "has no comment on the Speaker's race at this time." Following the funding debacle in December, Cloud signaled that he would be open to "personnel changes" to ensure Trump's agenda is delivered in the 119th Congress.
"The chaos of this past week was both predictable and avoidable," Cloud said. "Weeks ago, I and others warned of these pinch points and urged leadership to involve members in crafting solutions. Unfortunately, we were ignored and locked out of the process. It wasn’t the rank-and-file members who failed this week—it was a failure of leadership that brought us here."
"Come January, we will need to revisit how Congress operates to ensure it is structured to deliver President Trump’s MAGA agenda," Cloud continued. "Whether that requires personnel changes, process reforms, or both will be a critical discussion we must have."
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President-elect Donald Trump formally endorsed Mike Johnson for a second term as speaker of the House on Monday.
Following the tumultuous spending fight at the end of the 118th Congress, Johnson's speakership was called into question, with several Republican lawmakers signaling their frustration with the speaker. As Republicans head into the 119th Congress with an even narrower majority than before, even just a handful of defections could delay or even throw off Johnson's chances.
'Mike Johnson is the next Paul Ryan,' Massie said. 'On January 3rd, 2025, I won’t be voting for Mike Johnson. I hope my colleague will join me because history will not give America another "do-over."'
While many within the Republican conference were left frustrated with Johnson's handling of the last-minute continuing resolution, Trump's 11th-hour endorsement may be the boost he needs to remain speaker.
"The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration," Trump said in Truth Social post on Monday. "Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!"
"Thank you, President Trump!" Johnson said in response to Trump's endorsement. "I’m honored and humbled by your support, as always. Together, we will quickly deliver on your America First agenda and usher in the new golden age of America. The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let’s get to work!"
Although he earned Trump's favor, Johnson can afford to lose only one Republican vote in the upcoming Congress. As of this writing, there is exactly one GOP lawmaker who has publicly stated that he will not be voting for Johnson.
"On January 3rd, 2017 Paul Ryan was elected Speaker by every Republican except me," Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said in a Monday post on X. "Ryan went on to offer a fake repeal of ObamaCare, increased spending, backed the deep state, and didn’t fund a wall. Two years later we lost the majority and democrats made a living hell for Trump."
"Mike Johnson is the next Paul Ryan," Massie said. "On January 3rd, 2025, I won’t be voting for Mike Johnson. I hope my colleague will join me because history will not give America another 'do-over.'"
While Massie has vocally expressed his opposition to Johnson, Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas is reportedly exploring other options just days before the Friday floor vote.
Roy is circling back to a former speaker candidate and a favorite among House conservatives, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. After former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted in October 2023, Jordan launched his bid for the gavel, ultimately coming up roughly 20 votes short.
Although Johnson has had an uphill battle during his speakership, Trump's endorsement will likely improve his chances of securing his re-election on Friday.
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Nine Republicans remained holdouts until the very end of the first ballot. Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas, were the final two votes to switch, putting Johnson over the top.
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