(NewsNation) — The House of Representatives on Thursday approved Republican legislation intended to stop immigrants and illegal drugs crossing the nation’s southwestern border, leaving it to the Senate to attempt a broader, bipartisan immigration bill.

The House voted 219-213 to pass the Secure the Border Act, with no Democrats in favor and two Republicans opposed.

California Rep. John Duarte, one of two Republican representatives who voted against the bill, told NewsNation he would like to have supported it, but it had a “rigorous, E-Verify check in it” that will cause challenges for farmers and agricultural workers.

It “would’ve made it very difficult for food producers, farmers in my district, and some of the working families in my district who’ve worked in ag and food for many, many years, to continue working in food without being disruption, without creating liabilities for farmers,” he said. “Without pushing a lot of these hard-working families further into the shadows as they tried to produce Americans’ dinner.”

Democratic lawmakers and human rights activists have panned the bill as “anti-immigration” despite Republicans calling it bipartisan.

Democrats have warned the package will be blocked in the Senate, would set tight limits on asylum-seekers and require them to apply for U.S. protection outside the country. It also would resume construction of a wall along the southern border and expand federal law enforcement efforts.

While the bill isn’t expected to get to President Joe Biden’s desk for signing into law, the Senate hopes it may serve as the beginning of negotiations for upcoming immigration measures.

The approval comes after the expiration of the Title 42 immigration restriction that began under former President Donald Trump in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Title 42 had allowed U.S. authorities to expel migrants to Mexico without the chance to seek asylum, citing health concerns.