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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) returns to his office after a visit to the House floor for procedural votes for legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security at the Capitol in Washington, March 3, 2015. The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security through September 30 without any immigration restrictions, ending a standoff that had threatened a partial shutdown for the agency. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Congress funded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday through the end of the fiscal year with a ‘clean’ bill that did not require any changes in executive immigration policy. The vote passed 257-167, with only 75 members of the Republican majority voting in favor. Already approved by the Senate, it heads to President Barack Obama’s desk.

With the support of the Tea-Party base, Republicans tried for months to make DHS funding contingent on the reversal of what they consider unconstitutional immigration actions implemented by the White House. Passing a clean bill was a victory for Democrats, who largely won a public relations game over which party would be blamed if the DHS suffered furloughs. Republicans were divided over the outcome.

"Today I voted against funding the President's illegal and unconstitutional executive actions on immigration. [...] It's disingenuous to fault those of us who are simply asking the President to follow the law," said Rod Blum (R-Iowa). He was joined by his colleagues.

"This [passage] is [a] signal of capitulation," said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), according to Fox News. "The mood of this thing is such that to bring it back from the abyss is very difficult."

Other Republicans defended their votes for the clean bill, arguing for pragmatism.

“We need to protect American security. We need to do the right thing,” said Rep. Greg Walden (R-Oregon) told The Washington Times. This morning, Republican Speaker John Boehner told his colleagues that shutting down the DHS is not an option, according to ABC news.

“With more active threats coming into the homeland, I don’t believe that’s an option," Boehner said, according to an ABC source attending the meeting. "Imagine if, God forbid, another terrorist attack hits the United States.”

Immigration In The Courts

Following the legislative loss, Boehner promised that Republican states will continue to fight the White House’s executive immigration actions in the courts. The most prominent case is Texas vs. The United States of America, which has already won opponents an injunction of the on the President's policy. The policy -- if unfrozen -- would make millions of undocumented immigrants eligible for work permits and other protections. However, President Obama has assured those eligible for the program that they will not be deported.

In a separate immigration enforcement case, infamous Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio has won an appeal in a lawsuit against President Obama. His suit alleges that Obama’s immigration policies are unconstitutional. But it’s just one case that’s hauling the Sheriff into court this week. A recent decision by a federal judge could lead to more damages and expensive fixes by his department. Arpaio has already lost court battles over his department’s harsh anti-immigrant tactics, which included racial profiling.

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