Moncia De La Cruz is the first Republican to represent Texas 15th District in Congress in a century. Credit: U.S. House of Representatives

As Rio Grande Valley homebuilders complain they can’t find workers to complete projects, MAGA-aligned U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Edinburg, is now calling for a special visa program for undocumented construction workers — something Democrats have tried to pass since at least 2013.

De La Cruz made the comments during a Texas Tribune interview this week, saying she wants to create a visa program similar to the one that allows foreign nationals to work in agriculture.

Her remarks come as she seeks reelection in a district increasingly soured on President Donald Trump, and as South Texas homebuilders warn that the president’s harsh immigration crackdown is cutting off their supply of workers and cratering the industry.

“They elected me to represent them in Washington, D.C., and to be their voice, even when it pushes against the Trump administration,” De La Cruz told the Tribune. “At the end of the day, I want to represent South Texas, and I want to represent our community and make sure that we continue to be prosperous.”

Trump endorsed De La Cruz in 2022 and is known for seeking retribution for those who speak out against him and his administration — including those within his own party.

Builders nationwide report struggles filling positions as the administration carries out ICE raids. In November, an Associated General Contractors of America survey found that 92% if U.S. construction businesses are struggling to find employees.

Members of the South Texas Builders Association on Monday raised questions during a meeting with De La Cruz about what rights they have if one of their construction sites is targeted by ICE, the Tribune also reports.

Indeed, ICE has detained more than 9,000 people in South Texas this year, according to the Tribune’s reporting, with Valley-area business leaders reiterating that the roundups of undocumented workers has hurt their bottom lines.

The irony in De La Cruz’s predicament is that Democrats have pushed for years for more protections for undocumented workers essential to the function of the U.S. economy.

Under the Biden administration, a bipartisan bill that would have offered undocumented workers a pathway to citizenship died in the GOP-controlled Senate. House Republicans also killed off a similar 2013 bill, which would have provided a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented people and created a new visa for 200,000 low-skilled workers.

Oh well.

The comments from De La Cruz — the first Republican to represent Texas’ 15th district in Congress in more than a century — also come as well-known Tejano singer-turned-political candidate Bobby Pulido runs against her in the 2026 midterms as a Democrat. Pulido’s campaign has picked up steam as he stakes out a position opposing open-border policies while rejecting the Trump White House’s heavy-handed immigration enforcement.

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Michael Karlis is a Staff Writer at the San Antonio Current. He is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., whose work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Orlando...