Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, on Friday hit out at Democrats for blocking a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying they are "playing a very dangerous game of chicken" in an interview with Newsmax.
The funding fight centers on a House-passed short-term bill to keep DHS operating that Senate Democrats blocked in a 52–47 procedural vote Thursday, preventing it from advancing to the floor.
Democrats say they want new limits and oversight for Immigration and Customs Enforcement after high-profile killings by federal officers in Minnesota, but Gonzales rejected that argument, claiming the standoff is not truly about immigration enforcement.
"Here we have the Democrats holding it up, all because they say it's [about] immigration, has nothing to do with immigration," Gonzales told Newsmax's "Wake Up America."
"They don't care about that. This is all about politics and stopping President [Donald] Trump's agenda."
Gonzales warned that a DHS shutdown could create risks for disaster response and security functions, noting that a funding lapse would affect the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Coast Guard.
"If something were to happen in this country, like an emergency, where FEMA has to respond and we're not paying our FEMA employees, that is dangerous," the Texas Republican said.
He added, "If there's a cyberattack" like the ones against "oil companies in years past," CISA would be unable to help.
"These things are very real," Gonzales said.
As Democrats press for changes to immigration enforcement, Gonzales urged Republicans not to back off from ICE activity, saying, "The ICE operations shouldn't stop."
"They shouldn't slow down," he added before saying, "We should find every criminal, illegal alien that's in this country and we should deport them."
Gonzales went on to praise White House border czar Tom Homan, saying he "has tried to build bridges," but the congressman criticized local leaders who resist cooperation with federal enforcement.
"But when you have mayors more interested in people that are in this country illegally than their own American citizens, it's wrong," he said.
Gonzales added, "Republicans shouldn't blink," and said the GOP should "keep going forward and wait for the Democrats to come alongside us," as lawmakers left Washington with the next steps uncertain.
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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