The Dispute Index

Henry Cuellar

Portrait of Henry Cuellar
Eric Connolly / U.S. House Office of Photography

United States Representative and Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Texas's 28th district.

Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Texas's 28th Congressional District (2026)
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What we have documented

We have documented 7 statements by Henry Cuellar, in 5 cases. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.

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Statements by Henry Cuellar

Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. representative from Texas; ranking member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee

Condemned

Statement summary

Henry Cuellar and Rosa DeLauro condemn the use of CBP resources for political ads and pledge to investigate and reverse what they call misuse of taxpayer funds.

“When Democrats reclaim control of Congress next year, the House Appropriations Committee will work to uncover and reverse misuses of taxpayer money like this and hold those who abused their power accountable.”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)DeLauro and Cuellar oppose using CBP resources for Trump adsJoint statement and final paragraph describing the September 19 funding move
Why we used this label

The conduct under scrutiny is federal funding for Trump-promoting ads. Cuellar rejects the spending and seeks accountability.

Read statementFull case: Should taxpayers fund Trump's "public service" television ads?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative from Texas and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, in a written statement

Condemned

Statement summary

Rep. Henry Cuellar said in a written statement that he has been engaged on what he called an on-camera assault on two U.S. citizen teenagers by ICE agents in Alamo, as well as the deportation of Teresa de Jesus Ochoa Briseno, and that he was awaiting ICE's clarification and word on whether the agent's body-worn camera footage may be released to Congress.

“Further, I have been equally engaged in the on-camera assault on two U.S. citizen teenagers by ICE agents in Alamo, TX as well as the recent deportation of Teresa de Jesus Ochoa Briseno. We are awaiting further clarification from ICE on the events of that day and if and when the agent’s body-worn camera footage may be released to Congress.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Cuellar Demands Transparency From ICE Following South Texas Incidents, Pledges Strict Oversight If Democrats Take HouseParagraph beginning "Further, I have been equally engaged", in the written statement that follows "Later, Cuellar issued a statement about the ICE shooting"
Why we used this label

The case asks whether ICE's use of force in arresting Luis Ochoa and a 17-year-old friend in Alamo on Sept. 11 was justified. Cuellar described what happened as an on-camera assault on two U.S. citizen teenagers by ICE agents, which is his own criticism of the force used, and said he was awaiting ICE's clarification and word on whether body-camera footage may be released to Congress. The same sentence mentions the deportation of Ochoa's mother, which this case does not classify. We labeled it Condemned.

Read statementFull case: Was ICE's use of force in arresting Luis Ochoa in Alamo, Texas, justified?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative for Texas at the statement date.

Condemned

Statement summary

Cuellar calls for ending the war, which he says was not properly authorized, as part of addressing rising diesel costs.

“This includes ending the war in Iran, which Congress has made clear, was not properly authorized.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Henry Cuellar on the Iran warComplete original authored written post; date-only timestamp represented at noon UTC
Why we used this label

Relative to U.S. military involvement in the 2026 Iran war, Cuellar calls for ending the war, which he says was not properly authorized, as part of addressing rising diesel costs.

Read statementFull case: Do they support the war in Iran?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative from Texas and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security

Condemned

Statement summary

Rep. Henry Cuellar said he was concerned about the way ICE moved on Teresa Ochoa Briseño, and said he wanted answers on why ICE moved so quickly to deport her to Mexico.

“I am concerned the way they moved on the mother. My understanding, it was confirmed by ICE, that the mother was picked up and was deported quickly to Mexico. Why they had to move on this so quickly are questions we want to certainly get to.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Cuellar Targets ICE Accountability in South Texas, Unveils Bill to Safeguard Regional Grid and Water ResourcesSection "Demanding Body Camera Transparency From ICE", the two paragraphs on the Alamo confrontation
Why we used this label

The case asks how people responded to ICE's arrest and removal of Teresa Ochoa Briseño and to the claim that it was retaliation. Cuellar said he was concerned about the way ICE moved on her and that why it had to act so quickly was a question he wanted answered. He did not address the retaliation claim. Because he expressed criticism of how ICE handled the removal and offered no defense of it, we labeled it Condemned.

Read statementFull case: Was ICE's deportation of Teresa Ochoa Briseño retaliation for her family speaking out?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative for Texas's 28th congressional district and Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on his official X account

Condemned

Statement summary

On X, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) said he was "very concerned" about the shooting, called for "a thorough and independent investigation," and, citing his role as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, said he has made DHS transparency a priority.

“I am very concerned about reports of an ICE-involved shooting in Austin, Texas. There needs to be a thorough and independent investigation into this incident. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I have made it a priority to ensure transparency within DHS. I look forward to receiving answers in a timely manner on this situation.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Post by Henry Cuellar (@RepCuellar) on X, September 20, 2026Complete post 2101807619191050652, 5:56 PM CDT (22:56:00 UTC); all paragraphs
Why we used this label

Relative to DHS's decision to have its own component lead the investigation into the shooting, Cuellar calls for an investigation that is independent of DHS rather than accepting DHS's own component leading it, and frames DHS transparency as something he must press for. This tracks the case's existing convention for measured calls against self-investigation (see LULAC's statement, similarly recorded as condemns), even though Cuellar's tone does not criticize ICE's credibility directly.

Read statementFull case: Should DHS lead the investigation of the ICE shooting of a delivery driver in Austin?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. representative from Texas and ranking member for Homeland Security appropriations, in a statement to Newsweek

Mixed or conditional

Statement summary

Rep. Henry Cuellar said any use of force by authorities should be thoroughly and immediately investigated and that he had raised his concerns directly with ICE leadership.

“Any use of force by authorities should be thoroughly and immediately investigated. As Ranking Member of Homeland Security Appropriations, I brought up my concerns directly to ICE leadership and look forward to answers on this incident in a timely manner.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)ICE Detains US Citizen Teens Who Say They Were Going to Enlist in Marines · Newsweek
Why we used this label

Cuellar says he is very concerned about the footage, calls for a thorough, immediate investigation and says he looks forward to answers on the incident, but he does not say whether the force was justified.

Read statementFull case: Was ICE's use of force in arresting Luis Ochoa in Alamo, Texas, justified?
Portrait of Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar

Role at the time: U.S. Representative, Texas 28th district

Condemned

Statement summary

Henry Cuellar voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 93, the House resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

“On Agreeing to the Resolution: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)U.S. House Roll Call Vote 307: H.Con.Res. 93, Iran War Powers Resolution (agreed to, 220-204)
Why we used this label

A yea vote supported directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran, opposing continued U.S. involvement in the war without congressional authorization.

Read statementFull case: Do they support the war in Iran?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.

Case

Do they support the war in Iran?

Relationship to this case: Speaker

An issue tracker recording where members of Congress and 2026 midterm candidates stand on the unauthorized Iran war, based on their votes on war-powers resolutions, campaign statements, and public remarks.

Iran WarU.S. PoliticsUpdated

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