House Judiciary Committee advances H.R.9773, the "Permanent Trump Secure Border Act," after hours of partisan debate

The House Judiciary Committee advanced H.R.9773, titled in the markup as the “Permanent Trump Secure Border Act,” after a day-long markup marked by heated debate and several closely contested roll-call votes. The committee’s action sends the substitute measure to the House floor with instructions for technical and conforming edits.

Committee Chair (S1) called up the bill and opened the markup; Rep. Roy (S5), who led the measure for the majority, urged colleagues to codify the administration’s border policies into statute. "Today, we consider the permanent Trump Secure Border Act, which closes statutory loopholes," Roy said in his opening remarks, calling the bill a package of statutory reforms across asylum, parole, detention, and visa-overstay enforcement.

Democrats framed the bill as punitive and dangerous for asylum seekers and children. The ranking member (S3) and other Democrats repeatedly pushed for oversight of ICE and Customs and Border Protection, and for targeted fixes rather than the broad statutory changes proposed by the majority. Several Democratic amendments — including protections for unaccompanied minors’ legal representation and limits on family detention — failed in recorded votes after debate over germaneness, scope, and funding.

The committee adopted an amendment-in-the-nature-of-a-substitute and then voted to report the bill favorably to the House by recorded vote; staff were authorized to make technical and conforming changes before the measure is filed for floor consideration. The final substitute as adopted integrates many of the changes debated during markup and will be printed as the committee’s report to the House.