The Senate cleared the 60-vote threshold to begin debate on a GOP priority, with Democrats backing it as the party recalibrates politically on immigration. Final passage is still uncertain.

In the Senate, the bill easily passed a key vote to allow debate to begin next week. Democrats signaled Wednesday that they’d vote for cloture after John Thune, the GOP’s new majority leader, allowed amendments to the bill. The vote was 84-9 in favor.

The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly cleared a key procedural hurdle toward passing the Laken Riley Act, a bill aimed at curbing crime by migrants, in the first vote of the year by the chamber.