At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passports

[TexasTowelie]

McALLEN — Former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores said she has no problem with requiring South Texans to carry passports to prove their citizenship.

Flores, a Republican running to recapture the congressional seat she briefly held in 2022, made that assertion Thursday night during a debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, the Democrat incumbent. Gonzalez was explaining why he voted against a border security bill championed by former President Donald Trump.

Flores and Gonzalez are locked in one of Texas’ only contested congressional races. And both political parties have made the seat a priority.

Gonzalez said that legislation, known as Secure the Border Act, would have required South Texas residents to present a passport at an interior border patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias, a town nearly 80 miles north of McAllen. The checkpoint is an unavoidable stop for Valley residents traveling north. Most people who live in Congressional District 34 in the state's southeast corner are Hispanic — 84%.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/18/mayra-flores-passports-id-debate/

[duncang]

1. I don't know how much one costs now.

But who does she expect to pay for it? According to family size that could cost a chunk of money. Also where does it stop? Why not go all the way and require them to vote. Let’s go with it statewide. Maybe require them to walk on the street. The bs that the right comes up with is stupid. The way they think is you’re guilty until you prove you’re innocent.

[Susan Calvin]

2. Isn't that literally unconstitutional?

I'm thinking of the case in San Diego, decades ago, where this one guy who was fond of walks and the police thought looked suspicious kept getting stopped for basically no reason and asked for ID. He eventually won his case.