Conservatives seethe after Johnson backs Senate plan he previously called ‘a joke’

Speaker Mike Johnson reversed his opposition to a Senate plan separating immigration enforcement funding from a broader Department of Homeland Security reopening package, drawing backlash from hard-line conservatives. Johnson had previously criticized the Senate approach as "a joke" but shifted his position Wednesday after President Trump endorsed the strategy. The reversal highlights tension within the Republican caucus over how to handle border security priorities, with conservatives viewing the decoupling as a weakening of their negotiating position. Johnson's about-face demonstrates Trump's influence over GOP leadership on key legislative matters, even when it contradicts positions Johnson had staked out publicly. The dispute centers on whether immigration enforcement should be tied to broader DHS funding or pursued as a separate legislative effort.