Terrell County, Texas, Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland told Newsmax on Tuesday that a threatened partial shutdown of the federal government won't stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from performing their duties.
On "American Agenda," Cleveland said that if the government shuts down over blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and Border Patrol agents are ready to "still go out and do their jobs."
Cleveland, a former Border Patrol enforcement officer, said Tuesday's congressional hearing that focused on DHS operations put opposition forces on display.
"You know, it's the rhetoric that we're continuing to see from our leaders of our country, those in Congress and the Senate, as well as leaders in those states, some of those cities. That's the worst part of it," he said.
Cleveland said protests against ICE enforcement are fueled by the harsh words of elected opposition leaders.
"Until this rhetoric stops throughout the United States, we're going to continue to see this kind of thing happen. But let me remind you that Texas, Florida, California still lead the nation in ICE apprehensions, and we don't see this type of behavior in our state," he said.
He said there were some "good interactions" in the hearing on DHS funding,
But he added that there was "a lot of grandstanding that was going on. And since it was televised, some of those politicians [were] looking to take advantage of it being televised to make a viral moment for TV."
On Newsmax on Tuesday, Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., accused Democrats of making "unreasonable" demands in a funding standoff that could trigger a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security by Friday.
The senator warned that disruptions would affect airport security, disaster response, and the Coast Guard even as immigration enforcement remains funded.
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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