Rep. Henry Cuellar has argued his party is making a mistake in defending Kilmar Abrego-Garcia.
Abrego-Garcia, an illegal immigrant with ties to MS-13, was deported to his home nation of El Salvador last month and placed in the CECOT prison facility.
In a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, Cuellar said that it was “not the right issue” for Democrats to be complaining about.
“This is not the right issue to talk about due process,” he said.
“This is not the right case,” he continued. “This is not the right person to be saying that we need to bring him back to the United States.”
Cuellar also warned Democrats against using Abrego-Garcia’s case to highlight the issue of Trump’s deportations.
“When you look at immigration, is this the immigration case you want to take to fight on? In my opinion, absolutely no.”
The Congressman, who represents a largely Hispanic district in South Texas, added that his constituents are increasingly voicing anger over what they perceive as an immigration system that benefits those who do not follow the rules.
“People were saying, ‘Our parents came in the legal way. They came in, became legal residents,’ and, ‘They came in and did it the right way.’”
”But when you see people jumping in, not knowing who they are,” he added. “That’s something wrong.”
Cuellar also slammed the Biden administration for their refusal to secure the southern border.
“It was laughable when they would say that the border was secured,” he said.
“Why are we going to let people in when you have no idea who these people are, and then let them roam the streets of the United States while you wait four or five years for an immigration court hearing?”
”That was wrong, absolutely wrong.”
It is worth noting that Cuellar has long been considered among the more moderate Democrats in Congress.
There has even been speculation that Cuellar may join the Republican Party in return for a pardon from President Trump after he was indicted for bribery. However, these rumors have so far yet to materialize.
