Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, has said that deportation efforts should focus only on people convicted of crimes, even as President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming administration will most likely adhere to the hardline pledges made during his campaign.
In an interview, Gonzales explained that targeting workers like farm laborers or hospital nurses, instead of convicted criminals, would mean the government was failing to prioritize properly.
He said this after Trump promised major changes to the U.S. immigration system during his second term, revealing plans for a large-scale deportation operation. The president-elect is expected to involve local law enforcement and the National Guard in carrying out this initiative, ABC News reported.
When questioned about the practicality of Trump's immigration plans, Gonzales emphasized the government should prioritize efforts to locate and deport convicted criminal immigrants, highlighting the importance of providing adequate resources to task forces by coordinating local, state and federal efforts to achieve this goal.
Gonzales also emphasized the importance of separating law-abiding immigrants from individuals with criminal records, suggesting that the focus should remain on addressing serious offenders.
"Our country was built on those fleeing persecution," he said, ABC News reported. "And it would be just absolutely terrible if we don't protect those that are doing it the right way."
Gonzales' comments came as Trump announced Tom Homan, who previously served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during his first term, as his choice for "border czar."
At the Conservative Political Action Conference last year, Homan expressed dismissive views about concerns over family separation, a policy he was involved in enforcing.
When asked about Homan's statements, Gonzales avoided a direct defense, but stressed the need to address issues of lawlessness.
According to the Pew Research Institute and the American Immigration Center, nearly 11 million people in the United States do not have permanent legal status. Another report by the American Immigration Council estimated that deporting 1 million undocumented immigrants annually would cost over $88 billion.
Gonzales had previously pointed out that the U.S. lacked the infrastructure to handle deportations on such a massive scale.
However, several members of Trump's proposed team for his second term have expressed strict stances on immigration. Among them was Stephen Miller, nominated for deputy chief of staff, who reinforced his hardline approach by declaring that America should prioritize its citizens during a rally at Madison Square Garden in October.
