Texas Representative Tony Gonzales (R) has ramped up the rhetoric as a February 14 deadline looms for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. He claims Democrats are paralyzing national security to force through a “radical” immigration agenda.
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While most of the government is funded, DHS is on life support. Following two fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis, Democrats are refusing to sign a new funding bill unless it includes strict conduct reforms for ICE and CBP.
The “Hostage” Argument
Gonzales’s frustration stems from a perceived “bait and switch”:
- The Claim: A bipartisan funding deal was already on the table.
- The Shift: Gonzales argues Democrats “abruptly abandoned” the deal to add “guardrails” that he says would “handcuff” law enforcement.
- The Risk: He warns that by stalling, Democrats are risking the paychecks of the Coast Guard, TSA, and FEMA over a policy dispute regarding ICE.
What’s on the Table?
The battle is essentially Security vs. Oversight:
- Democratic “Guardrails”: Requirement for judicial warrants (rather than administrative ones) for raids, a ban on agents wearing masks, and restricted “safe zones” like churches and schools.
- GOP Rejection: Gonzales and his colleagues argue these rules create “sanctuary zones” and put agents in danger by stripping them of anonymity and efficiency.
“If rioters get to wear masks, then law enforcement gets to wear masks… the Democrats are trying to hold the country hostage.” — Rep. Tony Gonzales
