Freshman lawmaker boycotts ‘swanky’ White House dinner due to Biden’s border policies

McALLEN, Texas ( Border Report ) — While other freshmen members of Congress were attending a special White House dinner earlier this week, Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz stayed home citing philosophical differences she has with the Biden administration’s immigration policies, she said Friday.

De La Cruz, who is the first Latina and first Republican to represent Texas’ 15th Congressional District on the South Texas border, said she “politely declined the invitation” to dine with President Joe Biden on Tuesday.

“I won’t be attending swanky Washington, D.C., insider receptions while the cartels control the border,” she said in an email sent from her campaign Friday.

“Since President Biden was sworn into office a little more than two years ago, more than 1.2 million illegal migrants have crossed the border, evading capture entirely. The failure to secure the southern border perfectly represents the failures of the Biden administration: talk a big game to win elections and fail to deliver actionable results. More than that, the failure to lockdown our border represents a clear and present danger to the safety of Americans,” she wrote.

I won’t be attending swanky Washington, D.C., insider receptions while the cartels control the border.”

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas

De La Cruz says she sent Biden a note explaining her absence.

She also has launched a petition to send to the president to get him to stop future “White House spending American tax dollars on expensive parties while the border crumbles,” she wrote.

The petition reads: “Add you (sic) name to my petition. Tell President Biden : No more taxpayer funded parties until the border is secure!”

On Tuesday, De La Cruz tweeted that she was boycotting the event, but at the time she said it conflicted with a scheduled call with her children. And she referenced her preference for a popular Tex-Mex chain, instead of D.C. fare.

“I appreciate The White House inviting me to a party, but as I told the president, our country has too many challenges that need my attention. Besides, I have a call with my kids at that time — and I’m more of a Shiner Bock and Taco Palenque girl, anyway,” she wrote.

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a freshman congressman whose district stretches the entire length of the New Mexico-Mexico border, said he joined Biden to celebrate the swearing-in of the 118th Congress on Tuesday night.

“As a working-class New Mexican from humble beginnings, I’m honored to represent our district and fight for the American Dream,” Vasquez tweeted with a U.S. flag emoji.

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