Homophobic / Anti-LGBTQ Record
- Voted against the 2009 Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which extended federal hate-crime protections to LGBTQ individuals. This vote indicates resistance to acknowledging and combating violence motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Anti-Immigrant Policy Actions
- Opposed a bipartisan border security bill in May 2024, which sought to update immigration law and border enforcement—calling it “charades and political theater.”
South Dakota Searchlight - Publicly supports expanded border enforcement and enhanced immigration restrictions through new legislation. As Senate Majority Leader in 2025, Thune backed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a large reconciliation package that included billions in funding for border walls, immigration enforcement, and detention facilities.
opb+14Thune Senate Office+14The Washington Post+14 - Advocated for the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for non-citizens accused of theft or violent crimes and allows states to sue the federal government over immigration policy decisions—signaling support for more restrictive immigration enforcement.
opb+4AP News+4TIME+4
Anti-Diversity / DEI Signals
- While Thune did not sponsor a direct anti-DEI bill, he supported a compromise amendment to freeze pay for Department of Defense (DoD) employees working solely on DEI initiatives, effectively undermining diversity efforts in federal agencies. This aligns with broader opposition to DEI programs.
South Dakota Searchlight+15ohiocapitaljournal.com+15ProgressivePunch+15
Summary Table
| Category | Notable Actions or Statements |
|---|---|
| Homophobic / Anti-LGBTQ | Voted against hate-crime protections inclusive of LGBTQ individuals (2009) |
| Anti-Immigrant | Opposed bipartisan immigration reform; championed border enforcement provisions in large GOP packages |
| Anti-Diversity / DEI | Supported limiting pay for DEI-focused federal positions, signaling resistance to DEI implementation |
Thune’s record clearly reflects positions that either hinder LGBTQ protections, bolster enforcement-first immigration policy, or reduce institutional support for diversity programs—especially in federal workforce structures.
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