Texas' Rep Cuellar Questions Fellow Democrats' Focus…

Texas' Rep Cuellar Questions Fellow Democrats' Focus on Abrego Garcia Case: 'Is That the Topic We Ought to Be Talking About?'

Texas Representative Henry Cuellar (Credit: Reuters)

Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar has raised concerns about his party's focus on the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was wrongly removed to El Salvador by the Trump administration claiming he has links to the MS-13 gang.

Speaking on NewsNation's "On Balance with Leland Vittert," Cuellar acknowledged due process issues related to the case but questioned whether this was the priority his party should be spotlighting.

"We've been talking about strong border security for so many years, and now, you know, there are Democrats who are talking about the border," Cuellar said. "But, with all due respect... I don't know if that's the right issue that Democrats should be focusing on right now."

News Nation - 4/23/2025 - Rep. Henry Cuellar (D) saying he doesn't think Democrats should be focusing on due process issues right now pic.twitter.com/QXgSZfbwXR
— CaseStudyQB (@CaseStudyQB) April 24, 2025

Cuellar, who represents a district along the U.S.–Mexico border, emphasized that his constituents are more concerned with issues like the cost of living and economic policies. "When I travel within my district, it's rare that somebody brings up that case of that person from Maryland, because they want to talk about other things," he said.

Cuellar's comments come as a growing number of Democrats are investing time and political capital into securing Abrego Garcia's return in the face of resistance from the Trump administration.

Last week, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) visited El Salvador to confirm Abrego Garcia's whereabouts, while four House Democrats— Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), and Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.)— followed earlier this week, funding the trip themselves after Republicans denied an official travel request. Their delegation met with human rights activists and pushed for further action on behalf of Abrego Garcia and other deportees.

Rep. Garcia described the situation as a constitutional crisis to The Bulwark adding that "there is a 9–0 Supreme Court order that Donald Trump is defying." The group also called for proof of life for Andry José Hernández Romero, a Venezuelan man whose status remains unclear.

The split among Democrats over the case seems to be widening. While some lawmakers argue it represents a larger fight for due process, others warn that focusing on deportations risks political fallout. "Should it be the big issue for Democrats? Probably not," one anonymous House Democrat told Axios last week, echoing Cuellar's sentiment. "I think we ought to focus on the basic things that affect people on a day-to-day basis."

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