Rep. Hunt to Newsmax: Dems 'Playing Political Football' With Americans' Safety

Democrats are "playing political football" with the American people as the government shutdown continues, Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, said on Newsmax Wednesday, warning that federal operations — such as TSA, the Coast Guard, FEMA, and the Secret Service — are being caught in the crossfire.

Hunt, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, told "National Report" that the standoff in Washington is putting unnecessary strain on front-line personnel tasked with protecting the American public.

"Democrats are playing political football with the safety of the American people, and it has to come to an end," Hunt said. "Our number one mission is to make sure that we keep our citizens safe, and that is exactly what President Donald Trump is trying to do."

Hunt, a House Judiciary Committee member, framed the impasse as a direct consequence of Democrat opposition to stepped-up immigration enforcement efforts supported by Trump.

"The president was given a mandate, period," Hunt said, citing Trump's victories in the popular vote, Electoral College, and swing states. "The reason why was literally because of immigration."

Hunt argued that federal enforcement actions, including those carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, fall squarely within the federal government's authority. He invoked the Constitution's Supremacy Clause in defending those actions against resistance from Democrat-led states.

"When you enter this country illegally, you're breaking federal law," Hunt said. "So it's up to the federal government to ensure that you go back to your country of origin."

"This is not that difficult to understand."

Democrats have countered that the shutdown stems from broader policy disagreements and have expressed concern about the humanitarian and economic effects of aggressive immigration enforcement.

But Hunt dismissed that criticism, arguing that Democrats are using essential workers as leverage in negotiations.