Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) has released a campaign advertisement featuring a man she helped get released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The ad, which first aired the week prior to September 18, 2026, includes an interview with the man’s wife, Stephanie, who describes the U.S. immigration system as "broken." De La Cruz, representing Texas’s 15th Congressional District, previously intervened in March to assist in the release of Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar, a teenager who had been detained for nearly two weeks.
The campaign video follows a separate ad released on Thursday, September 17, 2026, by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.). Salazar’s ad states that immigration enforcement efforts have "gone too far," citing that 50 percent of the 50,000 people detained in July had no criminal record. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Marwayne Mullin responded to the criticism on Friday, September 18, stating that the department does not "pick and choose" which laws to enforce and that entering the country illegally constitutes breaking the law.
Secretary Mullin denied the existence of White House-mandated deportation quotas and stated that DHS focuses on the "worst of the worst." He explained that when agents serve warrants on individuals with criminal records, they often encounter and detain others present who lack legal status. Mullin also addressed a Friday altercation in Alamo, Texas, where U.S. citizen teenagers were involved in an encounter with ICE agents, stating that while he had not reviewed the footage, agents must match the resistance level of individuals who attempt to avoid arrest.
Republican lawmakers representing majority-Hispanic districts have expressed varied views on the scale of federal immigration enforcement. According to Rep. Salazar, this enforcement impacted 50,000 detainees in July, half of whom she said had no prior criminal record. For families in these districts, the application of these policies determines whether relatives—including those without criminal histories—remain in their homes or face detention and deportation.
Small-business owners, students, and workers with DACA status or active asylum cases are affected by how DHS interprets its enforcement mandate. Secretary Mullin stated that DHS is obligated by statute to arrest any individual they encounter who is in the country illegally, regardless of how many years they have lived in the U.S. or their involvement in the asylum process. He said individuals who do not update their contact information while on parole may face detention for a parole violation.
The shift by these incumbents comes as polling suggests competitive races; an August survey from Texas Southern University showed De La Cruz trailing Democratic challenger Bobby Pulido by 5 points. The November general election will determine if these candidates retain their seats.