Democratic Lawmaker Calls For ‘Repercussions At The Border’

As America’s immigration crisis impacts communities nationwide, a number of prominent Democrats are now starting to change their tune on the issue. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, for example, recently made waves within his party for declaring that the crisis would “destroy” his city.

For Americans living in border states, the stakes are even higher — and one prominent Texas lawmaker is now bucking his own party’s stance by calling for enhanced immigration law enforcement and border security.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) sat down for a Fox News Channel interview over the weekend and laid out his case for a firm stance against illegal immigration.

“We need to have repercussions at the border,” he declared. “What does that mean? You’ve got to deport people and you’ve got to show images of people being deported.

In response to videos and images that show a steady stream of migrants illegally crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, Cuellar asked: “When was the last time we saw people going the other way instead of just seeing people flow in?”

Although he stopped short of endorsing former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, he acknowledged that President Joe Biden is “not doing enough” to stem the tide.

“We’ve got to find the right balance,” Cuellar insisted. “You’ve got to listen to the community leaders.”

One area of agreement between Trump and the lawmaker appears to be the belief that Mexico should be an active partner in addressing the crisis.

“I’ve been saying this for years,” Cuellar continued. “We as Democrats and Republicans can continue playing defense on the 1-yard line, or we can play defense on their 20-yard line — and that is getting Mexico to do more.”

The Democratic mayor of Eagle Pass, Texas, where thousands of migrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in the span of one day last week, similarly pointed a finger at the Biden administration. 

During a recent CNN interview, Rolando Salinas said: “I believe 100 percent [Biden] … bears some responsibility for this crisis. I haven’t heard from anybody in the administration. The president hasn’t put out a statement, the vice president, I haven’t heard from anybody. We’re here abandoned. We’re on the border, we’re asking for help. This is unacceptable.”