Hinson talks immigration, infrastructure before split crowd in Manchester

MANCHESTER, Iowa — U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, called for tougher border security and a less costly infrastructure package before a crowd of more than 50 constituents, some of whom argued strongly with her, during a town hall Tuesday in Manchester.

In her opening statements, the congresswoman reaffirmed a strong stance against President Joe Biden’s policies concerning the U.S.-Mexico border, where hundreds of thousands of migrants have arrived in just the past two months. On Thursday, Hinson introduced the “See the Crisis Act,” which would block international travel funds for Vice President Kamala Harris — whom Biden has put in charge of diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration to the U.S. — until Harris visits the border.

“I think it’s very important she hear directly from them, like I did and like so many members of Congress have,” said Hinson, who visited the border in April. “Then, we need to know what the administration wants to do.”

Harris visited the border numerous times as a U.S. senator but has not since becoming vice president. She has resisted making plans to visit, pointing out that her job description involves diplomacy in Latin America rather than policy at the border. She will fly over it next month for two days of meetings with the presidents of Mexico and Guatemala about alleviating the conditions that drive Central Americans northward.

Hinson stressed that resuming some immigration policies of former President Donald Trump that have been repealed by Biden would help provide time for Congress to address immigration reform more comprehensively.

“They are not tracking them,” Hinson said. “They cannot tell us how many illegal immigrants are in Iowa.”

She added later: “Allowing the cartels to win by smuggling in people and contributing to human trafficking and the drug problem that we’re seeing in this country, that’s not right, either. We have to secure the border, and then we can continue to have good conversations about how we improve immigration moving forward.”

It was on these points about immigration that Hinson received the strongest pushback from members of the audience. Dubuque County resident Gary Runde criticized Hinson’s comments.

“You rattled off a bunch of numbers about illegal border crossings, trying to put fear in a lot of people here,” he said after taking the microphone from a Hinson staffer’s hands. “What you didn’t mention is that many of those people coming across the border are seeking sanctuary because they’re in a bad spot where they’re at. … A lot of stuff that you put out is not right. Either you know you’re misleading people, or you don’t."

Hinson said her information regarding immigration had come straight from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

Another member of the audience attacked the idea of returning to Trump immigration policies when those included separating families at the border and detaining children separated from their parents.

Hinson clarified that she also opposed that particular policy.

“I think it’s abhorrent that babies would be separated from parents,” she said. “I don’t agree with that either.”

Hinson had plenty of support in the pavilion at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, where the town hall was held.

Dozens of attendees clapped loudly when Hinson opposed the proposed repeal of 2017 corporate tax cuts and the proposed increase of capital gains tax included in Biden’s $2 trillion American Jobs Plan for infrastructure.

“My focus is on making sure everyone pays the least amount of taxes as possible,” she said.

Members of the crowd also agreed with Hinson’s critiques of Biden’s infrastructure plan.

“I am concerned with this infrastructure plan if only 5% or less (as Republicans claim) is actually going to infrastructure, which I think is crazy,” said Doug Robbins, of Manchester.

According to the White House’s American Jobs Plan fact sheet, $621 billion would go to transportation infrastructure, which would be 27% of the $2.3 trillion price tag. In that, the plan includes $20 billion for roads and bridges, $85 billion to modernize public transit, $174 billion to invest in electric vehicles, $25 billion for airports, $17 billion for waterways and ports and $50 billion for what it calls infrastructure resilience, as well as many other investments not specified with dollar amounts.

Hinson said she was disheartened by electric vehicle infrastructure and other targets she does not think are relevant to an infrastructure package. But she said bipartisan work is being done within the chambers of Congress.

“In the House (of Representatives), the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is coming up with a plan,” she said, though she did not provide any details about it.