Acted Negatively for Reduce Chain Migration

Acted Negatively for Reduce Visa Lottery

Acted Negatively for Reduce Unnecessary Worker Visas

Acted Negatively for Refugees & Asylees

Acted Negatively for Reduce Amnesty Enticements

Acted Negatively for End Birthright Citizenship

Took Strong Positive Action for Reduce Illegal Immigration Rewards

Took Strong Positive Action for Strengthen Border Security

Took Strong Positive Action for Strengthen Interior Enforcement

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 132 to S. Con. Res. 5 to require detention of criminal aliens Sen. Thune voted in favor of a motion to waive budgetary rules for Amendment #132, introduced by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have attached Sarahs Law to the bill. Sarahs Law requires mandatory detention for criminal aliens whose crime results in injury or death. The motion, needing 60 votes to pass, failed 52-48.

2021: Voted against Amdt. 811 to S. Con. Res. 5 to block increases in legal immigration Sen. Thune voted against a motion to waive the budgetary rules for Amendment #811, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have prevented increases in legal immigration. The amendment failed 40-60.

2021: Sponsored S. 1024 to increase health care visas Sen. Thune sponsored S. 1024, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). The legislation would recapture 40,000 supposedly unused visas and provide them to health care workers.

2021: Sponsored S. 2207 to exempt forestry workers from H-2Bs Sen. Thune sponsored S. 2207 introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). The legislation would exempt virtually all forestry-related work from the H-2B caps for 5 years.

2022: Voted in favor of H.R. 2471 to increase in H-2B and EB-5 visas Sen. Thune voted in favor of H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, introduced by Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-N.Y.). The legislation authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to double the number of H-2B low-skill, non-agricultural visas for FY2022. Further, the legislation reauthorizes the EB-5 investor visa program. The legislation was signed into law.

2021: Sponsored S. 2032 to increase Afghan SIV admissions Sen. Thune sponsored S. 2032, the Afghan Allies Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). The legislation would expand the Afghan, including and increase to the cap from 26,500 to 46,500 and extending the program until 2024.

2022: Sponsored S. 3154 blocking settlement cash to illegal aliens Sen. Thune sponsored S. 3154, the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act, introduced by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). The legislation would block settlement cash from going to families who were separated after crossing the border illegally.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 54 to S. Con. Res. 5 to block stimulus payments to illegal aliens Sen. Thune voted in favor of Amendment #54, introduced by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have blocked stimulus payments from going to illegal aliens. The amendment was approved 58-42.

2022: Sponsored S. 4036 to continue Title 42 due to the COVID-19 pandemic Sen. Thune sponsored S. 4036, the Public Health and Border Security Act of 2022, introduced by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.). The legislation would block the Biden Administration from ending the Title 42 policy that prevents illegal border crossers from claiming asylum due to the COVID-19 pandemic for 60 days.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 872 to S. Con. Res. 5 to fund border security and interior enforcement Sen. Thune voted in favor of Amendment #872, introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have provided funding for border security and interior enforcement. The amendment failed 50-50.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 651 to S. Con. Res. 5 to end catch-and-release Sen. Thune voted in favor of Amendment #651, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have ended the practice of catch-and-release at the border. The amendment failed 50-50.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 542 to S. Con. Res. 5 to provide border fence funding Sen. Thune voted in favor of Amendment #542, introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have provided funding for border fence construction. The amendment failed 50-50.

2022: Voted in favor of S.J. Res. 46 to disapprove of asylum rule Sen. Thune voted in favor of S.J.Res. 46 introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.). The legislation would formally disapprove of the Biden Administration rule to allow asylum officers to grant asylum to illegal border crossers at the border.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 687 to S. Con. Res. 5 to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy Sen. Thune voted in favor of Amendment #687, introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have reinstated the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy. The amendment failed 50-50.

2022: Sponsored S. 4324 to add certain crimes to the inadmissible list Sen. Thune sponsored S. 4324, the Reverse Entry for Migrant Offenders and Violence Expulsion Act, introduced by Rep. John Thune (R-S.D.). The legislation would add conviction for kidnapping or sexual abuse to the inadmissibility and deportable list of crimes.

2021: Sponsored S. 71, the Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act, to require employers to use E-Verify Sen. Thune sponsored S. 71, introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The legislation would require all businesses to use E-Verify within one year for both new hires and existing employees. Further, the legislation would require information sharing between the relevant agencies to eliminate fraud.