Conservatives, Democrats unite to kill Speaker Johnson’s fig-leaf border bill

House Democrats on Saturday blocked Speaker Mike Johnson’s modified border security measure, voting to defeat the bill as lawmakers considered a broad foreign aid package alongside it.

The End the Catastrophe at the Southern Border Act required at least two-thirds support to pass but came nowhere near that threshold. The House killed the legislation 215-199.

Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, offered the bill as a sweetener to conservatives who are staunchly opposed to his four-part foreign aid package providing money to Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific allies.

While all Republicans voted for the border security bill, it did nothing to change their opposition to the foreign aid package. Conservatives called the border security measure a meaningless fig leaf that excluded key border security provisions, such as a requirement that employers use E-Verify to ensure they’re not hiring people living here illegally.

Republicans wanted border provisions linked to the bill providing $60 billion to Ukraine, which would have improved the chances it would be signed into law. Mr. Johnson had promised to attach Ukraine aid with border security, but backed away from that plan because it was holding up the Ukraine aid that many lawmakers believe is desperately needed to prevent Russia from overtaking the country.

“Johnson moved a separate sham border bill at the last moment so he could claim we’re doing something on the border,” said Rep. Scott Perry, Pennsylvania Republican, on X.

Mr. Johnson’s slimmed-down version of the bill maintained many of the policies from the Secure the Border Act, like the Trump-era Remain in Mexico provision and more construction of the southern border wall.

Earlier this year, House Republicans blocked a Senate measure pairing foreign aid with additional restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border supposedly meant to address the flood of illegal immigration. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, said the Senate border security provisions did nothing of the kind, instead allowing 5,000 illegals into the country daily.