Democrats would rather hurt Americans who depend on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) than enforce immigration laws, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Newsmax on Monday.
Biggs appeared on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" with co-hosts Marc Lotter and Ed Hill as Congress faces a high-stakes funding showdown, with Democrats reportedly pushing demands tied to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and threatening disruption of key federal services if they don't get their way.
"Here's the reality: the Democrats have made getting rid of ICE their number one priority, which tells you that they want an open border," Biggs said.
He warned that Democrats appear willing to use everyday Americans as leverage, including travelers and disaster victims, by allowing funding to lapse for agencies such as TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA.
"They're going to punish people with TSA because TSA would not get funded," Biggs said. "They're going to punish people with Coast Guard not getting funded. How about FEMA? ... They'll be shutting all that down."
Biggs argued that the pressure campaign is aimed at forcing the federal government to weaken immigration enforcement at a time when border security remains one of the top concerns for voters.
"Everybody in America knows you have to enforce the laws," he said. "If you don't like the laws, that's when you change the laws. But the laws are in place."
Lotter and Hill also pointed to what they described as a growing national impact from illegal immigration, with Biggs noting that enforcement can no longer be treated as only a border-state issue.
During the interview, Hill referenced a recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that could expand the government's authority to detain illegal migrants anywhere in the country, not just within a limited zone near the border.
"That changes things a lot, right?" Hill asked.
Biggs agreed, saying the Biden-era surge in illegal immigration has effectively turned the entire nation into a border zone.
"When 20 million plus people came in illegally under the Biden administration, all of a sudden, if you're in North Dakota, you're feeling the pressure," Biggs said, citing drug trafficking and human trafficking.
Biggs called the Fifth Circuit decision "a great ruling" and predicted it would be upheld if it ultimately reaches the Supreme Court.
The congressman also briefly addressed House Oversight Committee interest in the Jeffrey Epstein case, saying he hoped Ghislaine Maxwell would provide answers, though he expected she may invoke her Fifth Amendment rights.
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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