President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at tightening election security protects "one of the most precious freedoms" in the country, Rep. Buddy Carter said on Newsmax on Wednesday.
"Let's face it, the right to vote, the right to elect our elected officials, is one of the most precious freedoms that we have in this country," the Georgia Republican told Newsmax's "Wake Up America Early" about Trump's order, which reinforces existing federal law that prohibits noncitizens from voting and adds new tools for verifying voter eligibility and securing mail-in ballots.
"This helps make sure we have secure elections because it protects our democracy," Carter said.
Trump's order, signed Tuesday, comes amid an impasse in passing the SAVE America Act, which focuses on voter ID requirements and other election regulations.
"This is just common sense legislation that 80% of Americans want passed," Carter said. "Why we can't get that passed in Congress just baffles me."
The Georgia Republican then turned to a dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, criticizing the Senate for not advancing a House-passed continuing resolution that includes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"I agree with the president. The Senate needs to do its job. They need to come back," Carter said. "They need to vote on the continuing resolution that we passed in the House."
He stressed the importance of funding agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration.
Trump ordered last week that TSA officers should receive back pay for working in the nation's airports despite the funding shutdown.
Carter told Newsmax that the agents "have a stressful job already."
"Here we are adding more stress to that at a time when they do not need stress, at a time when we're in a conflict with Iran, at a time when we need to make sure that we are protecting the American people," he said.
Carter sharply criticized Democrats over the funding standoff, accusing them of prioritizing immigration issues over public safety.
"They are putting the illegal immigrants and terrorists in front of the safety of the American citizens," he said. "And to me, that's despicable, absolutely despicable."
Addressing comments from Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., that the situation could have been avoided, Carter said Democrats bear responsibility for failing to fund DHS.
"We're willing to negotiate, but pay them first," Carter said. "Let's make sure we have this vitally important department funded so that they can do their job, and then we'll negotiate."
Carter also accused Democrats of resisting the enforcement of immigration laws, comparing the stance to past calls to defund the police.
"This is nothing more than an extension of the defund the police movement," he said. "They don't want them to enforce the laws that we have on the books."
"These people are here illegally… They have broken the law. What are we going to do? Pick and choose the laws that we want to enforce?"
Carter contrasted current criticism of ICE with past support, noting the agency had previously been praised for its work.
"It's just incredible to me," he said, adding that attitudes toward ICE have shifted.
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