Over the weekend, Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX), whose district is on the U.S.-Mexico border, said that the United States must put “repercussions” in place to dissuade migrants from attempting to illegally enter the country.
Cuellar made his comments during an interview on Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday” as illegal immigration across the southern border has spiked over the last few months and is on track to set a new record annual high this year.
“We need to have repercussions at the border. What does that mean? You’ve got to deport people, and you’ve got to show images of people being deported,” he said. “When was the last time we saw people going the other way instead of just seeing people flow in?”
Cuellar said that he thought former President Trump went too far in his attempts to disincentivize illegal immigration but that President Joe Biden was “not doing enough.”
“We’ve got find the right balance,” he claimed. “You’ve got to listen to the community leaders.”
Cuellar said that migrants should be stopped from ever reaching the U.S. southern border and that getting Mexico’s help would be key in preventing illegal immigration.
“I’ve been saying this for years,” Cuellar said, “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.”
WATCH: Texas Democratic Congressman @RepCuellar discusses the state of the southern border and calls on officials in Mexico and Washington, D.C. to do more. #FoxNewsSunday pic.twitter.com/LkmEmV2HOk
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 24, 2023
