What were Lindsey Graham's key policy positions and legislative achievements throughout his Senate career?

Judicial Confirmations and Judiciary Committee Leadership

• Chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and the Senate Budget Committee from 2025 until his death [1][41].
• Oversaw the confirmation of 200 federal judges while chairman [43] and took part in the high‑profile Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Brett Kavanaugh [42].
• Helped broker the “Gang of 14” compromise in 2005 that ended the blockade of up‑or‑down votes on judicial nominees [2].

Healthcare

• Voted against the Affordable Care Act in December 2009 [4].
• Played a leading role in Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare, co‑authoring the Graham–Cassidy amendment in 2017 [3].

Immigration Policy

• Comprehensive reform: Was an original member of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” senators who drafted and passed S.744 (the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act) in the Senate in 2013 [5][32][33]. He believed passing such a reform was essential for the Republican Party to regain standing with Hispanic voters [40].
• Pathway to citizenship: Supported a pathway to citizenship for law‑abiding undocumented immigrants, co‑sponsored the DREAM Act, and said he would veto any immigration reform bill that lacked a pathway to citizenship [20][36]. Favored granting citizenship to DACA recipients in exchange for border‑wall funding [21]. Publicly embraced the pro‑amnesty label, joking about being called “Lindsey Grahamnesty” [34], and opposed mass deportation, stressing that the priority should be deporting felons and that “we’re not going to deport 11 million people” [35].
• Later shift toward mass deportation: After President Trump’s second inauguration in 2025, Graham said Congress must give the border czar the tools “to execute a mass deportation strategy,” a change from his earlier stance against mass removal [22][23].
• Birthright citizenship: Repeatedly pushed legislation and a constitutional amendment to end birthright citizenship, arguing that it was “bastardizing citizenship” [16][37].
• Sanctuary cities: Introduced legislation to permanently end sanctuary city policies, contending they obstruct federal immigration enforcement and create safe havens for illegal immigrants. The bill would have imposed criminal penalties on officials who release illegal immigrants who later kill or seriously injure someone [17][18][19].
• Border security: A longtime supporter of tougher border enforcement; backed the Secure Border Act of 2006 [24]. Consistently backed the border wall, including the use of emergency and military funds to build it during Trump’s first term [25]. Voted against a 2013 amendment that would have required hundreds of miles of border fence to be completed before undocumented immigrants could gain legal status [39].
• Asylum and detention (Secure and Protect Act of 2019): Required asylum seekers from the Northern Triangle to apply at processing centers outside the United States [26]; funded 500 new immigration judges to speed up case processing [27]; modified law to allow families to be held in detention for up to 100 days [28]. Advocated stiff penalties for illegal border crossers, saying he didn’t care if they stayed in detention for 400 days [29], and backed Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its Enforcement and Removal Operations [31].
• Legal immigration: Supported increasing legal immigration to meet the country’s labor needs and wanted a more rational, skills‑based system that selects immigrants “on our terms” [30][38].

Abortion

• Sponsored the Pain‑Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in 2015, which would have created a national 20‑week abortion ban [6].
• Introduced legislation in 2022 to institute a federal 15‑week abortion ban, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the patient [10].

Fiscal and Budget Policy

• Chaired the Senate Budget Committee from 2025 until his death [1].
• Advocated cutting spending, reforming entitlement programs, and reducing government intervention so businesses could create jobs [12]; recognized as a “Taxpayer Hero” for consistently voting to reduce wasteful spending and lower the tax burden [13].
• Was integral to passing President Trump’s reconciliation tax‑and‑spending package, sometimes called the “one big, beautiful bill” [45].
• Praised Trump’s defense budget request and renewed a vow to fund ICE and CBP through the reconciliation process [48].

Foreign Policy and Defense

• One of the strongest proponents of a robust national defense [11][15][47]; consistently pushed for outcomes in the War on Terror that protect long‑term national security [14].
• A staunch supporter of Ukraine aid, playing a critical role in shepherding funds through Congress [44].
• Declared “unapologetic” support for Israel during the Gaza war in 2023 [9].

Environment and Trade

• Co‑sponsored the Foreign Pollution Fee Act in 2023, which would impose a carbon‑based tariff on imports from countries with weaker environmental standards [7].

Animal Welfare

• Co‑sponsored the bipartisan Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act in 2025 to ban commercial horse slaughter and end the export of American horses for slaughter abroad [8].

Election Integrity

• Staunchly advocated for the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require voter identification and proof of citizenship to vote [46].