House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demonstrated just how out of touch he is with the American people in his nearly nine-hour speech to delay passage of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The bill ultimately passed the House on Thursday by a vote of 218 to 214, with all but two Republican members voting for it while every Democrat voted against it.
U.S. House of Representatives PASSES GOP Tax & Spending Cuts Bill, 218-214.
Goes now to the president. pic.twitter.com/pKXURzh9xF
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 3, 2025
The two Republicans who voted “no” were Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. (The full roll call is here.)
Prior to the vote, Jeffries held the floor for eight hours and 44 minutes, speaking for a record time during what’s known as a “magic minute” address, The Hill reported. Under House tradition, according to the outlet, the speaker is allowed to expand his 60 seconds of speaking time after debate on a bill is over.
The Democrat surpassed the previous benchmark for such a speech that was set in 2021 by then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, when he spoke for eight hours and 32 minutes in opposition to the Build Back Better legislation backed by then-President Joe Biden. That bill cleared the House, but ultimately failed to garner enough support in the Senate.
During Jeffries’s lengthy remarks against the “Big Beautiful Bill,” he said, “A deportation machine will be unleashed on steroids by this one, big , ugly bill.”
That line alone showed the Democratic disconnect from average Americans.
As the X account Libs of TikTok reminded the minority leader, “That’s what 77 million Americans voted for” last fall when they picked Trump.
Hakeem Jeffries: “A deportation machine will be unleashed on steroids” if the BBB passes
YES! 🔥 That’s what 77 million Americans voted for 👏 pic.twitter.com/14xkI3ZD9R
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 3, 2025
The “Big Beautiful Bill” provides $150 billion for border wall funding, immigration enforcement, and deportations, according to The Hill.
After four years of an open border under Biden, with an estimated 10 million or more illegal aliens entering the country, immigration was among the top issues for voters heading into the general election. A Gallup poll in October found a combined 72 percent of those surveyed said it was either extremely important or very important to them.
President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill will allow DHS to ramp up deportation efforts and hire 10,000 new ICE agents.
It will also fully fund ICE’s 287(g) program, empowering state and local law enforcement to assist federal immigration officers. pic.twitter.com/nMfvfiiHuo
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 18, 2025
A PBS/NPR/Marist poll published on Tuesday did find that 54 percent of those surveyed thought Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have gone too far.
However, 80 percent either support or strongly support deporting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of a violent crime.
Does a “deportation machine on steroids” sound good to you?
Further, 59 percent say those who have committed nonviolent crimes should also be removed from the country.
Jeffries and the Democrats are out of touch on immigration. If the Trump administration focuses primarily on getting criminal illegal aliens out of the country, it will continue to enjoy strong support from the American people.
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