The following is an interview transcript with Republican Rape Tony Gonzalez in Texas, which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brainon” on 10 August 2025.
Margaret Brainon: We are going to take up the conversation with the Texas Republican Congress Tony Gonzalase that now join us with San Antonio. Welcome to the Congressman, ‘Off the Nation’. You only heard Senator Kelly that he had experienced disappointment and he had seen personal stories in these snow prevention facilities. Given the role of your surveillance, do you have equal concerns?
Rape. Tony Gonzhalase: Good morning, Margaret, and when I appreciate the service of Senator Kelly, the part in which he is going wrong with snow is for every tragic story of someone being deported, there are 10 tragic stories of Americans who have reverse their lives due to illegal immigration. And it is not right to display ice agents. There are now an agent- there has been an increase of 1,000% on attacks, yet they are seeing a huge increase in the volume of those who want to serve. There are currently 10,000 vacancies, and they have around 100,000 applications. I think there is a balance where we need to go after these guilty criminals, the worst, and be able to deal with some of them, but we should encourage it- this enforcement of law, not the sanctuary city that allows to take chaos.
Margaret Brainan: No. And I think the senator was talking about how it was not just working during the previous administration, so he was not praising that previous system, but in the context of how being currently being operated, I know that you had expressed concern that you had expressed concern that people who were exerted on a large scale were not the worst and violent criminals. I know that because you released that letter ice and the data that came back showed that most of the convicted traffic or immigration were for crimes, not for violent criminals. For less than 1% punishment of deported people, only 1.2% were for sexual harassment. So doesn’t it speak, however, what was the senator Kelly saying- which is, it is not criminals, it is grandmother?
Rape. Gonzalas: Well, he is just telling the story of grandmother. He is not talking, you know how DHS scored Los Angeles and Podophiles across the country and some other violent actors. So you have to tell all the sides, but you first hit it on the head when you said that immigration is a very emotional conversation. And this is where we have to correct it. You have to separate those who can be in a different position than the worst. I am encouraged to see- are I encouraged that when we have passed a large, beautiful bill and gave DHS to DHS $ 45 billion that now these task forces are constructing and going after very strategic operations that pidophylle out, out the killers. Numbers matters, but more especially, which is being detained. Traffic violations do not excite me as much, and I do not think to protect communities, you know, killers and guilty criminals are threatened to all communities.
Margaret Brainon: Do I hear you saying that this new money will now allow them to really focus on violent criminals, rather than that they encounter anyone, who, at one point, illegally enters?
Rape. Gonzhalase: Yes, and this is what I am seeing- I am watching a mixture of self-detail. Secretary Nom has been very active. She has essentially traveled to Central and South America, talking to the heads of a lot of state, and many people are returning to the tune of hundreds of thousands of people in these countries. I think what it does, it is that some reduces some stress on DHS, essentially to enter the number on the board and instead make these task forces to go after these bad actors. For me, it is secret chutney. You make these task forces and get the worst after the worst.
Margaret Brainon: Okay, we see, however, in courts that the Trump administration is trying to remove the border on the child’s detention. One of the ICE’s only family preventive facilities is in your district in Texas, and you have voted for the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’, and it includes a provision that allows children to be held indefinitely with children, which has long contradicted the 20 -day limit to detain children. Do you think it needs to change it in future laws? Should there be a limit to detain children?
Rape. Gonzalase: Probably. I mean, legislative piece is a long road. What I have seen under both Biden administration and Trump administration is a delicate balance, right? How do you keep families together? How do you ensure that there- coordination is in which country they are going to, but what we do not want to see is held indefinitely without any procedure. But what we want to see is that after the proper process is completed, that they are immediately removed in a human environment. And you know, I travel- both of them visited these facilities under administration, and I never had any problem with ice facilities. They have always been allowed to see everything that I wanted. I have taken pictures. I have done the video, I have talked- I have talked to those who were there, and I think this is an important part, our government should be transparent for what is happening.
Margaret Brainon: And we would like to take our cameras to some of those features. If you can help us do so, sir, because we do not have that access. And I know that many of those immigration advocates have said that they have said that they are disappointed that they do not have much access to share with the public now what they are listening. But now I want to ask you about this fort bliss facility, the basis of an army which is partially in your district. I think they are trying to convert it into a place with tents to catch 1000 persons under snow custody. Does the law not blur the lines between enforcement and military that does not begin to bring us into an uncomfortable region?
Rape. Gonzhalase: This can do this. But let me go- I give you some details about that facility. especially. There is one- soft side feature is located right next to the current ice facility in El Paso. So when it is on Fort Bliss, it is in fact, in many cases, managed by ice. Other- Some other details, by the end of the week, already have more than 100,000 illegal aliens in that facility, I hope that this number will increase more than 1000 and then in the coming weeks, it will increase to several 1000. Now, price tag, $ 1.2 billion. I am a little worried that the initial cost is 230 million which is paying for the Defense Department. And that’s why I am not- Fort Bliss is the army’s Swiss Army knife, they do a great job of whatever mission they send. But I do not want to see that the Defense Department got stuck with the bill, if you will. This is the place where the details matters. We passed for this $ 45 billion-for-for-border security. I hope that some of those funds reimbursed the Defense Department for their efforts.
Margaret Brainon: But a mixture of military and law enforcement, that part- apart from accounting, doesn’t it make you uncomfortable?
Rape. Gonzhalase: Yes, it does- Okay, you have to correct it. You know it is on the basis, and you know what cooperation is. The fact is, it creates a streamlined process because it is how close it is to the Airfield-Brigs Airfield, therefore, in turn creates a safety issue and it makes it just a cleaner effort. So there is a balance. But I do not want it long term. I do not want to see soldiers working in space. I don’t think they want to do so, but the fact that they are now there- this is a spontaneous transition right now.
Margaret Brainon: All is well. Tony Gonzalase. Congressmen appreciate your time. We will come back right.
