According to breaking reports Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution overturning Barack Obama’s executive action granting deferred deportation for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who arrived in the country as children.
The amendment was included in a larger bill aimed at funding the Department of Homeland Security through the remainder of the year.
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Prior to the vote, House Speaker John Boehner explained that his party’s opposition to the executive action on immigration is not based on partisan disagreements–but a desire to uphold the Constitution.
“We do not take this action lightly,” he said, “but simply there is no alternative. It’s not a dispute between the parties or even between the branches of our government. This executive overreach is an affront to the rule of law and to the Constitution itself.”
The bill is now set to be presented for a Senate vote, where supporters will face an uphill battle for passage.
Even with a majority in the new session, the 54 Senate Republicans would need the help of at least six Democrats to pass the bill.
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Republican Rep. Charlie Dent said he is confident members of the other chamber are “not going to pass this bill.”
Some reports indicate senators might take out the immigration amendment and return the funding bill to the House for approval ahead of next month’s deadline.