FBI agents conducted a search of the home and campaign office of Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas on Wednesday. The office of Cuellar — who has been an outspoken critic of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies — said the congressman would cooperate with authorities.
“Federal vehicles were seen with cases and other items taken from the congressman’s house as over two dozen agents filed in and out of the residence Wednesday afternoon,” Texas news site myrgv.com reported. “Some activity was also observed outside the campaign office on Davis and Washington Ave. in the afternoon hours.”
Reporter Valerie Gonzalez with the McAllen-based newspaper the Monitor was at the Democratic representative’s house when the FBI agents conducted their search.
“By around 7:30 p.m., a group of agents loaded large bags, plastic bins, and a computer into a federal vehicle. Others appeared to be logging the items,” Gonzalez reported.
“Federal agents were also at the campaign HQ office this afternoon,” Gonzalez wrote on Twitter. “It wasn’t included in the FBI statement, but two of the vehicles seen there at 4:20 pm later showed up at the residence. An agent wearing an FBI jacket climbed out of one.”
FBI spokesperson Roseanne Hughes did not reveal the nature of the investigation but acknowledged that there was “court-authorized law enforcement activity.”
“The FBI was present in the vicinity of Windridge Drive and Estate Drive in Laredo conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity,” a statement from the agency said. “The FBI cannot provide further comment on an ongoing investigation.”
Cuellar’s office issued a statement that said, “Congressman Cuellar will fully cooperate in any investigation. He is committed to ensuring that justice and the law are upheld.”
Cuellar has served in the House for Texas’ 28th Congressional District, which is on the outskirts of San Antonio and stretches to the U.S.-Mexico border, since 2005. The district includes the cities of Laredo, Mission, and Rio Grande City.
He has been one of the most vocal critics of President Biden’s immigration policies. Previously, the lawmaker has said Biden’s southern border policy is “just a honor system that they are given and this is not the way it’s supposed to be.”
Cuellar slammed the Biden administration in March: “You just can’t say, ‘Yeah, yeah, let everybody in’ — because then we’re affected down there at the border.”
He also accused the Biden administration of playing a “shell game” with the unaccompanied minors apprehended at the southern border.
In June, the moderate Democratic congressman called on the Biden administration to send help to deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases in border communities and Border Patrol agents.