Laredo Times

The Transportation Security Administration has confirmed that people can use an ICE Form I-200 to board an airplane, angering Republican gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines.

Huffines, whose platform includes increased border security and completion of the border wall, expressed outrage that what amounts to an arrest warrant can be used to board a plane.

“If I want to fly on a plane, I have to present ID to prove I am not a terrorist. Yet illegal aliens are able to simply use arrest warrants to board a plane,” Huffines said. “The fact is, we don’t know who these people are, and we shouldn’t be allowing them to move freely and live in the U.S. while awaiting a court date. When I am governor, Texas will not detain illegal aliens. These invaders will be immediately deported from our state.”

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) has recently been investigating how migrants enter the U.S. illegally. A TSA spokesperson told Fox News that non-citizens and non-U.S. nationals who don’t have acceptable forms of ID for security checkpoints can use the I-200 Form, as well as any other DHS-issued forms.

Huffines' comments are a result of a story on Gooden by WDRB.

The report said that border patrol agents apprehended 164,753 people trying to enter the country illegally in October. That number increased in each of the last two months; in December, agents apprehended 178,840 people. For reference, 73,994 people were apprehended in December 2020.

In March, Attorney General Ken Paxton released a report

 saying that people in the country illegally are costing Texans more than $850 million annually. The money is going toward education for unaccompanied children, uncompensated care and housing individuals who entered the state illegally.

“Texas will always welcome those who legally immigrate, but we cannot continue forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for individuals who skirt the law and skip the line,” Paxton said.

According to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac in early December, 33% of Texans say border security is the “most urgent issue” facing Texas today – followed by the economy (11%), abortion (9%), COVID-19 (8%) and election integrity (8%).

More than half of Texans surveyed by Quinnipiac (51%) support Texas building a wall along its southern border. This includes 85% of Republicans, 48% of independents and only 10% of Democrats.

“The Texas border is wide open,” Huffines said. “Our nation is being invaded, and Texas is at the heart of this unprecedented crisis. Thousands of illegal aliens cross into our state each day. It’s an outrage and an affront to our lawful, taxpaying citizens who are forced to spend billions each year on housing, schooling, and medical care for illegal aliens.”

Huffines isn't the only Republican challenging Gov. Greg Abbott in the March primary. Former Florida Congressman and Texas GOP Chair Allen West and media personality Chad Prather are also running.

For Democrats, Beto O’Rourke leads the field. The former Congressman also ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate and had a brief campaign for the presidency.