Tony Gonzales and Chip Roy Battle Over Mass Deportation Plans

5

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from San Antonio, expressed concern on Sunday that indiscriminate mass deportations, as proposed by former President Donald Trump, would be impractical and harmful to the Republican Party. Speaking on ABC News, Gonzales stated that a message focused on deporting “your abuelita” would not resonate well. He emphasized the need to prioritize deporting “hardened criminals.”

However, Gonzales’ stance faced pushback from the right wing of the GOP. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a prominent conservative from Texas and leader of the House Freedom Caucus, argued that all undocumented immigrants should be deported, including those who entered the U.S. illegally or were released by the Biden administration. He called for a halt to legal immigration until all undocumented individuals are removed from the country.

“Our starting place [for deportation] should be for any individuals who came here illegally or were released into the U.S. illegally,” Roy said on Monday. “They need to be removed. They need to be deported.”

Roy also stressed that Republicans should support Trump on this issue, urging his colleagues to avoid making excuses. “Congress is going to have to support [Trump],” Roy said in an interview on Fox Business.

Trump has pledged to carry out mass deportations upon his return to the White House, a move that could impact over 11 million people nationwide, including more than 1.7 million in Texas. Critics, including Democrats and immigrant rights advocates, argue that such an agenda is both inhumane and unrealistic.

Gonzales pointed out that there are already hundreds of thousands of undocumented individuals with criminal convictions in the U.S. He said deporting them alone would be a significant logistical challenge. Other Republicans, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, have suggested focusing on removing “dangerous individuals” first.

“Begin there and then see how it transpires,” Johnson told CNN.

The U.S. has a large undocumented population, which includes long-term residents paying taxes as well as new arrivals waiting for their asylum cases to be processed. Texas is home to the second-largest undocumented population in the nation, following California.

Meanwhile, Trump’s team is moving forward with plans for mass deportations. Stephen Miller, an architect of the Trump administration’s previous immigration policies, is returning as a senior aide. Tom Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been appointed as Trump’s “border czar.” Homan has been a strong advocate for deporting all undocumented immigrants and defending controversial policies like family separations.

“I got a message to the millions of illegal aliens that Joe Biden has released into our country in violation of federal law: You better start packing now,” Homan said during the Republican National Convention this summer.

The Trump transition team is also planning the logistics of mass deportations, which could include expanding detention facilities and reversing protections for migrants introduced by the Biden administration.

The proposed deportation plans have sparked alarm among Democrats and immigrant rights groups. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Monday seeking more information on the Trump team’s actions. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from El Paso, warned that the mass deportation efforts could mistakenly target legal U.S. residents and citizens, especially those in mixed-status families.

“It is going to be very important for every family that is a mixed status family, or an undocumented family, or even a family that has legal permanent residence, you have to have a plan,” Escobar advised.

Over the years, Congress has struggled to pass meaningful immigration reform, with much of the policy being shaped by executive orders. Last year, the Republican-led House passed a hardline border security bill, the Secure the Border Act, which would increase penalties for overstaying visas and limit asylum claims. However, the bill failed to gain traction in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Roy played a key role in drafting the legislation and has clashed with Gonzales over immigration issues. Their differences came to a head over a separate bill introduced by Roy that would shut down the border and detain asylum seekers. Gonzales opposed Roy’s approach, calling it un-American and un-Christian, labels that angered Roy.

Despite the passage of the Secure the Border Act, tensions between Roy and Gonzales persisted, culminating in a heated rivalry during the election season. Gonzales referred to Roy’s far-right supporters as “scumbags” and “Klansmen” after they voted against foreign aid for U.S. allies. Roy later endorsed Gonzales’ primary challenger, Brandon Herrera, who was defeated by Gonzales in a runoff election in May.

Related topics: