Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, said Saturday that he expects the House to approve the Senate’s reconciliation package that would provide nearly $70 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Justice through the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term.
Appearing on Newsmax’s "Saturday Agenda," Cloud called the measure “long overdue” and said it is critical for “securing our border” and “protecting our homeland.”
“We shouldn’t have gotten to this point,” Cloud said. “But this just shows you where the DEMs are, that this is not a priority for them at all, and they’ll do anything they can to hamstring the president in this.”
While predicting the bill will pass, Cloud suggested Congress should continue pursuing broader immigration reforms.
“We still have a lot to do on the congressional side, legislative side, to close those loopholes that Biden took advantage of,” he said.
“We trust the president. He’s going to keep this border secure. But what about the next Biden that comes along?”
Cloud said he would like to see provisions from H.R. 2, the House Republican border security bill, attached to the legislation to help “codify the good work that President Trump has done.”
Asked about potential Democratic efforts to delay the bill, Cloud said Republicans should have the votes needed for passage.
“If any House Republican votes with the Democrats on this, they shouldn’t be a House Republican,” he said.
Cloud argued that the legislation would provide stability for immigration enforcement by removing funding battles from the political arena.
“The big thing here is it makes sure that this doesn’t become a political football again throughout the rest of the Trump administration,” he said.
“Democrats decided to make this a political football, paying for our law enforcement. This is quite extraordinary.”
Cloud accused Democrats of opposing the president’s immigration agenda for political reasons.
“They want to do anything they can to run out the clock on an effective president who’s doing tremendous work for the American people,” he said.
“Anything they can do to delay that, to run out the clock and to keep the president from being as effective as possible, they’re willing to do that, whether it’s good for the American people or not.”
He added, “They would rather see this president fail than America succeed.”
Addressing immigration more broadly, Cloud emphasized the distinction between legal and illegal entry into the United States.
“There’s a right way to come to this country and there’s a wrong way to come to this country,” he said.
“We’re going to crack down on the criminal element of it and get illegal aliens out of this country. If you’re one of those who want to come here, do it the right way.”
Cloud also highlighted his family’s immigration background, noting that his wife is a naturalized citizen and that legal immigrants “came to this country because they love this country.”
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