By Sam Barron | Thursday, 25 December 2025 09:50 PM EST
Art Del Cueto, a veteran border official, stated on Thursday that anyone entering the country illegally commits a crime.
Del Cueto praised President Donald Trump and his administration for its significant apprehension of illegal aliens.
“You cannot round them up if you have a president who does not care about American borders and fails to address criminals roaming our streets,” he said during an interview on “Rob Schmitt Tonight.”
He dismissed criticisms that some arrested individuals lack criminal records, noting that millions entered the country unlawfully under the previous administration.
“Simply being here illegally is a crime in itself,” Del Cueto added.
The official also highlighted a recent incident in Maryland where federal immigration agents were involved in a shooting that left one person wounded and another injured. According to authorities, when agents approached a van carrying two men who entered the U.S. illegally, the driver drove the vehicle into agents’ vehicles and then directly at ICE officers in an attempt to run them over.
Del Cueto criticized Democrats for defending illegal aliens despite such incidents.
“This is part of the problem,” he said.
He argued that political leaders at all levels continue to avoid enforcing consequences against individuals who break U.S. laws, empowering those acting with impunity.
“These individuals go to these areas and do this because they think they can get away with it,” Del Cueto concluded.
