Gabe Vasquez’s latest immigration push says it all

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is once again showing where his immigration priorities stand, pressuring the federal government to move faster on deportation protections and work permits for DACA recipients while southern New Mexicans continue facing concerns over border security, crime, fentanyl, and public safety.

According to Organ Mountain News, Vasquez sent a letter Wednesday to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow demanding action over delays in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals renewal processing. Vasquez warned that thousands of DACA recipients in New Mexico could lose work authorization and deportation protections even after submitting paperwork on time.

“New Mexico is home to more than 4,000 DACA recipients who have built their lives here, followed the rules, and know no other home,” Vasquez said in a statement. “These New Mexicans are playing by the rules and have done everything the right way, but because USCIS is failing to process renewals on time, they could lose their work authorization and face deportation. That is unacceptable.”

DACA was created under the Obama administration in 2012 and gives temporary deportation protections and work permits to certain illegal immigrants brought into the United States as children. Recipients must renew their status every two years and continue meeting eligibility requirements.

Vasquez’s office claims renewal wait times have increased nearly 400% since 2025. His office also said more than 40 DACA recipients have contacted staff this year after filing within USCIS’ recommended 120- to 150-day renewal window, paying fees, and submitting required documents.

According to the report, some applicants could face lapses in work authorization, deportation protections, and health insurance coverage if renewals are not processed quickly enough.

In his letter, Vasquez argued that DACA recipients “have done their part and USCIS should do the same.”

But Vasquez’s latest immigration push is not happening in a vacuum. It follows a long record of hard-left positions on immigration and border enforcement that have drawn criticism from Republicans and public safety advocates across New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.

As the Piñon Post has previously reported, Vasquez has repeatedly attacked immigration enforcement, including inflammatory rhetoric aimed at ICE. He has said ICE needs “melting” and accused the agency of having “no regard” for immigrants’ “humanity,” comments that critics say show hostility toward the very enforcement agencies tasked with securing the border and removing illegal immigrants.

Vasquez also bragged about voting against the Laken Riley Act, legislation named after the Georgia nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant. The measure was designed to require federal immigration authorities to detain illegal immigrants accused of certain crimes, including theft-related offenses.

For Republicans, that vote became another example of Vasquez siding with Washington Democrats’ open-borders agenda instead of prioritizing public safety.

Now, instead of demanding tougher enforcement, stronger border security, or consequences for illegal immigration, Vasquez is using his office to push federal officials to move more quickly on preserving deportation protections and work permits for DACA recipients.

The congressman’s office claims New Mexico’s more than 4,000 DACA recipients contribute over $47 million annually in state and local taxes. His office also said about 2,400 children in the state have at least one parent who is a DACA recipient.

Vasquez also supports the American Dream and Promise Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients — another signal that his immigration platform goes far beyond temporary relief and into broader amnesty-style policy.

Supporters of DACA argue recipients were brought to the United States as children, built lives in local communities, and should not be punished for decisions made by their parents. But critics argue Washington’s repeated expansion of protections for illegal immigrants encourages more illegal immigration, weakens enforcement, and ignores the concerns of citizens living in border states.

Those concerns are especially potent in southern New Mexico, where voters regularly deal with the effects of the border crisis, including human smuggling, cartel activity, fentanyl trafficking, strained law enforcement resources, and pressure on local communities.

The contrast is likely to become a major issue in the 2026 race. Vasquez is facing Republican Greg Cunningham, a Marine combat veteran and retired Albuquerque police detective, who is expected to make public safety, law enforcement, and border security central themes of his campaign.

The fight over DACA renewals may sound bureaucratic, but it reflects a much larger divide: whether New Mexico’s representatives should prioritize border enforcement and the safety of American citizens, or continue expanding protections for people who entered or remained in the country illegally.

Vasquez has made his position clear. As New Mexicans continue demanding secure borders and safer communities, he is laser-focused on making sure DACA protections and work permits move faster through Washington.