Rep. Henry Cuellar is poised to hold the purse strings for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he has drawn a clear line in the sand. The Texas Democrat told Fox News that he will not support efforts to defund the agency, even as progressive Democrats push for those changes. He is set to become the chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, a role that gives him massive power over how much money ICE receives.
Cuellar made his position plain in an interview published on Monday. He stated that the new class of Democratic Socialists elected to Congress represents just “one part of the spectrum”. He emphasized that many “blue dogs” like himself value strong border and immigration policies. He stated that mainstream Democrats cannot sustain hard-line opposition to the agency.
The Defunding Rejection
When asked about the “Abolish ICE” rallying cry, Cuellar did not mince words. He said, “I don’t believe in defunding ICE and I think the majority of the Democrats do not believe defunding ICE, but there are serious rail guards we need put on ICE”. He argues that while the agency needs oversight, it must remain funded to do its job.
Cuellar has a history of breaking with his party on these issues. He voted with Republicans in January to approve a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that included billions for ICE. However, he later opposed a $70 billion Republican-backed enforcement package because he felt it lacked proper oversight. He has criticized the agency for targeting immigrants without violent criminal records, even though federal law allows such arrests.
Rejecting Biden Policies
Cuellar further cautioned Democrats not to revert to the border policies implemented by the Biden administration. He told Fox News, “We just can’t open up the border and just say anybody that wants to claim asylum can come to the borders”. He added that he hopes no Democrat running for national office will repeat that policy. He made it clear that the country is not going back to those days.
His stance has drawn praise from President Donald Trump. Trump said Cuellar has views on immigration “better than most Democrats”. Trump noted that Cuellar “wanted the Border closed to criminals, drug dealers, people from mental institutions and, above all, murderers and heavy handed criminals that were sitting in jails and mental insti”. The President also said an ICE policy targeting non-violent immigrants is “too tough”.
In a surprising landslide win, Cuellar won his 12th term representing Texas’s 28th Congressional District. His district includes Laredo, where Border Patrol maintains a major presence. He is known as a centrist member of Congress who hails from a swing district.
As he moves into his new leadership role, the focus will be on how he uses his power. He has called for greater oversight of the agency while refusing to cut its funding.
