Skip to content

GOP Rep. Will Hurd tells Trump to put his money where his mouth is

‘If this is a crisis, the people that are dealing with this crisis should get paid,’ Texas congressman says of Border Patrol

Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, has been one of the loudest Republican critics of President Donald Trump’s border wall. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, has been one of the loudest Republican critics of President Donald Trump’s border wall. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

The only Republican who represents a district along the southern border called on President Donald Trump to reopen the government without funding for a wall and restore the salaries of the U.S. Border Patrol.  

“If this is a crisis, the people that are dealing with this crisis should get paid,” Rep. Will Hurd of Texas said in an interview on CNN moments after President Donald Trump’s televised immigration address Tuesday.

Hurd was one of seven Republicans who voted with Democrats last week for a bill with funding for roughly a dozen agencies and a continuation of the $1.3 billion authorized for fencing in fiscal 2018, but without money for a border wall.

The 23rd District congressman has long been critical of Trump’s push for a wall.

“Building a 30-foot high concrete structure from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to do border security,” Hurd said.

Every member of Congress representing one of the nine congressional districts along the border opposes constructing a wall.

Hurd disputed Trump’s claim that a border wall would stop flows of heroin into the country.

“Everyone tries to act like this is some scary drug cartel movie back in the day,” Hurd said. 

He called for other “smart solutions” — including increased salaries for Border Patrol agents to improve retention, increased resources to the U.S. Coast Guard and increased funding for better technology.

Watch: Trump’s border wall address vs. Democrats’ response

[jwp-video n=”1″]

Recent Stories

Matt Dunlap says he’d welcome DCCC support in battleground Maine district

4 gubernatorial races that could affect the House majority

Sen. Lindsey Graham leaves the Capitol a final time

No quick fix for sexual misconduct in the House

How Trump’s political director came to Congress

At the Races: Like father, like daughter?