Colin Allred, Cruz’s opponent, supports defunding Texas border program amidst rising illegal crossings.
Rep. Colin Allred Votes Against Federal Funds for Texas’s Operation Lone Star
Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who is challenging Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) for his seat in 2024, recently voted in favor of an amendment to an appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security. This amendment aimed to prohibit federal funds from being used for Texas’s border and immigration enforcement program, known as Operation Lone Star.
Operation Lone Star, initiated by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) in March 2021, has resulted in over 470,100 apprehensions of illegal immigrants, according to the state. However, the amendment to block funds for the program was not successful, with only Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) joining the Democrats in voting for it.
Philip Letsou, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, criticized Allred’s vote, claiming that it denies Texas the necessary funding to secure the border. Letsou suggested that Allred should drop out of the Senate race and focus on his safe Democratic seat in the House.
Allred’s campaign responded by referring to the congressman’s previous comments at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival. Allred accused Cruz of failing to work on a bipartisan solution and emphasized the importance of securing the border without resorting to barbaric methods.
Allred is among several Democrats vying to unseat Cruz in 2024, including Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez. While Cruz’s Senate seat is considered “likely Republican” by the Cook Political Report, it is still seen as vulnerable, along with Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-FL) seat in Florida.
What is Operation Lone Star and why has it garnered support from conservatives?
Rep. Colin Allred, a Democrat from Texas, recently made a controversial vote against federal funds for Texas’s Operation Lone Star, an immigration and border enforcement program. This vote has drawn both support and criticism from various political factions.
Operation Lone Star, initiated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in March 2021, has been lauded by conservatives for its success in apprehending over 470,100 illegal immigrants, according to the state. However, Allred and a majority of his Democratic colleagues voted in favor of an amendment to an appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, seeking to block federal funds for this program. The amendment, however, did not pass, with only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie from Kentucky, joining the Democrats in supporting it.
Philip Letsou, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, strongly criticized Allred’s vote, arguing that it denies Texas the necessary funding to secure the border. Letsou went as far as suggesting that Allred should abandon his Senate race against Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz and instead focus on his safe Democratic seat in the House.
In response to these criticisms, Allred’s campaign referred to his previous comments made at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival. At the event, Allred accused Cruz of failing to seek bipartisan solutions to the border issue and emphasized the importance of securing the border without resorting to what he called “barbaric” methods. This rhetoric aligns with the Democratic party’s stance on immigration and border policies.
Allred is just one of many Democrats vying to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2024 elections, including Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez. Despite the challenges ahead, incumbent Cruz is considered likely to retain his Senate seat, according to the Cook Political Report. However, with the political landscape constantly evolving, no seat should be taken for granted. This sentiment extends to other vulnerable Republican seats, such as Sen. Rick Scott’s seat in Florida.
As the debate over immigration and border policies intensifies, Rep. Colin Allred’s vote against federal funds for Operation Lone Star showcases the deep divisions within the political landscape. While some applaud him for standing up against what they view as an excessive use of federal resources, others argue that this decision puts national security at risk. Only time will tell how this controversial vote will impact Allred’s chances in what promises to be a fiercely contested Senate race.
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