MISSION, Texas — U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says if Democrats regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in November, he intends to leverage the chairman’s gavel on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to place a heavy emphasis on funding international bridges, border technology, and port-of-entry staffing.
Speaking as a late addition to an infrastructure forum hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Partnership at the Mission Event Center on Tuesday, Cuellar laid out his legislative vision for South Texas trade and border infrastructure.
Cuellar was introduced by Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, who delivered an effective endorsement of the Laredo Democrat’s re-election bid. Cortez emphasized the tangible benefits of legislative longevity, telling attendees that seniority matters significantly in Washington and noting that following the upcoming election, Cuellar will rank among the top 40 most senior members of the House.
Addressing the audience, Cuellar projected confidence about a prospective shift in House leadership and highlighted the significance of having a border native lead the crucial subcommittee.
“I’m not going to get political, but after November, if everything turns out the way I think we are seeing, there’ll be a change in the House,” Cuellar said. “The reason I mention this is because I then go from the ranking Democrat to the chairman of the Homeland Appropriations Subcommittee. First time that we have a border guy, and I believe we understand the border a little better than other folks from other places.”
Cuellar emphasized that under his leadership, appropriations for Homeland Security would expand beyond traditional law enforcement to address the economic arteries of the southern border—specifically international bridges, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, and agricultural specialists.
“There’s another part that’s important to me, and I will be putting [focus on it]... I think this will be the first time: the men and women in blue, bridges, and ag specialists making sure that we have the right technology at the border and making sure that we coordinate with Mexico,” Cuellar said.
He pointed out current inefficiencies in cross-border infrastructure, noting that while both the U.S. and Mexico deploy advanced screening technology at ports of entry, the systems often operate in silos.
“If you look at a lot of the technology that we have in the U.S. out of bridges, Mexico has the same technology. You know what the problem is? The technology doesn’t talk to each other,” Cuellar told the forum. “I want to make sure that we have those construction dollars on both sides, making sure that we have the right technology, and making sure that your bridges have the men and women in blue to make sure that we will have trade and tourism faster so that improves the economy here.”
On broader border enforcement, Cuellar voiced continued support for Border Patrol personnel while advocating for focused operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“I will support Border Patrol, the men and women that work for Border Patrol,” he said, adding that “ICE should be focused on criminals and not on nuns and other folks like that.”
Beyond port infrastructure, Cuellar highlighted $1.6 billion in federal dollars flowing into the region in partnership with state and local officials, urging stakeholders to help press for passage of key federal legislation before December 11.
“Work with us to make sure that the transportation bill passes before December 11th. Those dollars will come in and they can continue with their 10-year project, but also the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA),” Cuellar urged, thanking local transportation officials and regional leaders.
He closed by reaffirming his commitment to collaborating with local mayors, county commissioners, and regional leaders on urgent water and drainage projects across the Rio Grande Valley.
“I ask you to work with me. I will work with your judge, I will work with your county commission, I will work with your mayors to make sure that we get supported because there’s a lot of water projects that we need to do,” Cuellar said. “It’s a team effort.”
