Texas Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz responded in Spanish on behalf of Republicans to Joe Biden's State of the Union address. De La Cruz emphasized the situation in the country for everyday Americans. "Are you better off than three years ago?" De La Cruz asked.
De La Cruz's speech was especially aimed at the Hispanic community, which she is a part of given her background as the daughter of immigrants . Much of her speech revolved around the growing safety crisis in the country and the state of the southern border.
El sueño americano ha sido una pesadilla desde 2021, con una frontera abierta, la inflación por las nubes, el fentanilo matando a nuestros hijos, y un presidente que está desconectado de la realidad. Estoy orgullosa de representar a los republicanos de la Cámara esta noche y… pic.twitter.com/r3R8Z1SnFR
— Rep. Monica De La Cruz (@RepMonicaDLC) March 8, 2024
De La Cruz made reference to the tragic case of Laken Riley and put blame on the Biden administration for the girl's death. Hours before the State of the Union address, the House approved the Laken Riley Act to intensify measures against illegal immigrants with criminal records or convictions.
"Parents want the best for our children, but under Biden, everything is more difficult," said De La Cruz during her speech, which lasted just over five minutes and followed that of her party colleague Kattie Britt. "At the border, we see Biden's disaster," she added.
The Texas representative also focused on the state of the U.S. economy and its changes under the Biden administration. She focused on high inflation, the highest in four decades. "Everything is so expensive — from food and gas to childcare and mortgages."
In relation to this, she highlighted the strong economic growth and entrepreneurship driven by Hispanics during the previous Republican administration. According to De La Cruz, Hispanics led the way in starting small businesses. "Now, the dream of being your own boss seems to be out of reach."
Finally, De La Cruz also spoke about international politics, asserting that Biden's foreign policy has been weak. Threats from Russia, Iran, China, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua all captured the her attention.
