DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- Four members of Congress from Dallas County met for a roundtable this week organized by the Dallas Regional Chamber. Democrats Jasmine Crockett and Marc Veasey joined Republicans Keith Self and Beth Van Duyne for the event at the Hyatt Regency Downtown.
Part of the discussion included immigration. Veasey said immigrants are powering Texas' economic growth. He said the U.S. should increase the number of visas available for immigrants with a specific skill.
"I was a Congressional staffer, I was still physically fit enough to play pick-up basketball the last time we raised the number of H1B visas," he said. "That's absolutely unfathomable."
Keith Self countered voters have made clear federal lawmakers should take another step before considering comprehensive reform.
"Border security first," he said. "We've got to take care of the major issues, fentanyl being one of them, sex trafficking."
Veasey cited statistics showing undocumented residents commit crimes at a lower rate than citizens.
"There is just so much misinformation about crime," he said. "What's so terrible about it is a lot of it is based on trying to scare people around certain racial taboos."
"It's illegal to enter our country illegally, so let's face it," Van Duyne responded. "Number two: You tell that to the parents of people who have been murdered by people who should never have been in our country."
Crockett said both parties are delaying action on immigration.
"There is not an appetite to solve immigration. Period. Because it is great to campaign on," she said. "This became politicized."
On economic issues, Van Duyne, who is in her second term in Congress, said she focused on business development when she previously served as mayor of Irving.
"I voted against the 'CHIPS Act' not because I didn't think it was important we have semiconductors and that we're looking at our future," she said. "It was a poorly worded bill. One of the problems I had with the bill was it would allow subsidies to go to China."
Van Duyne said regulations surrounding the bill are slowing progress. She said the bill should instead have doubled a tax credit for research and development.
Crockett responded the law has led to the development of chip plants in the United States, including one in her district, which covers Downtown Dallas and cities to the south.
"The bill was not perfect, and therefore, she voted against it, which is her prerogative," she said. "That may have worked very well for her district, but it is actually spurring growth."
The CHIPS and Science Act was passed in 2022. Earlier that year, Texas Instruments announced plans for a $500 million plant in Sherman.
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