Hispanic GOP House candidate: Biden isn't helping Latinos by 'encouraging' illegal immigration

The Democratic Party has "walked away" from Hispanic Americans who support law enforcement and border patrol agents, according to Republican House candidate Mayra Flores.

President Biden isn't helping Latinos by "encouraging" illegal immigration with his policies," Flores added during an interview following the launch of the House GOP's Hispanic Leadership Trust.

According to recent polling, Flores is leading Democrat Dan Sanchez ahead of the June 14 special election for the vacant South Texas seat of Rep. Filemon Vela, who resigned in late March to take a private sector job as a lobbyist.

Flores elaborated on the message she is delivering to Hispanic residents in the 34th Congressional District of Texas, who have voted for Democrats in the past.

"What I tell them is that as your next congresswoman I will put my district first," Flores said told Just the News. "I will put you first, and I will treat this district like my home, and we need to start taking care of our own home first, and if we're able to help our neighbors, of course, we will, but as your next congresswoman, I will always put you first. And that resonates with them.

"And the border security issue, it's affecting them tremendously. It's right next to us, you know, we're not seeing it on TV. We're seeing it right there. It's right in our backyard. And our border patrol agents are constantly also being disrespected." 

Flores, who is married to a border patrol agent, said her district has a personal connection to the crisis happening at the southern border under the Biden administration. 

"My husband is a border patrol agent, but there are border patrol agents, our neighbors, they are our daughters, they are familia," she said. "So the constant disrespect on our law enforcement is very personal to us, and that is just not who we are in South Texas. We are very law enforcement friendly. We we support them 100%. So the Democrat Party has just walked away from us." 

Biden has reversed a series of Trump-era immigration policies, a transformation that Republicans argue has contributed to the record number of migrants crossing illegally into the U.S. During a Cinco de Mayo ceremony at the White House, Biden renewed his call for comprehensive immigration reform that offers a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Republican leaders have said that Biden's message of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants encourages more migrants to make the dangerous trek to U.S.

Flores rejected the argument that the Biden administration and the Democratic Party are helping Hispanic immigrants with their policies and promises of citizenship. 

"Explain to me," she said," how having immigrants crossing a dangerous river, having to go through rape and abuse and having to pay criminal organizations thousands of dollars — how is that helping anyone? If we really want to help someone, if we really want to help the immigrants, we would focus on legal immigration and the process: How can we encourage good people to come to this country and do it the right way, where they don't have to go through such a dangerous journey?

"Over 60% of women and children are being abused. I have children, I just can't imagine — and no one should have to go through that for the American dream. I want the American dream for children and of course, other people who are coming from other countries. I'm from Mexico, of course I want that opportunity, but I want every child to have the same experience that I had when I came here to this country." 

As a member of Congress, Flores said she would seek to "improve the legal process" for individuals seeking to enter the U.S. from other countries, rather than promote amnesty.

"If we really care about immigrants, we would focus on legal immigration, and not illegal immigration, which is hurting not only the American people, but them as well," she said. "And it's honestly heartbreaking to see what's happening in South Texas. It's really inhumane that we're seeing these things happen and that the Biden administration continues to encourage this. It's really heartbreaking."