TexAgRepublican

Mr. Speaker, We owe it to the people of Texas to do everything we possibly can to keep them safe, and this bill does that. This bill puts more law enforcement officers on our streets and highways. It gives them the tools they need to fight crime. It secures our southern border from the influx of trafficking – both drugs and people – coming in from Mexico. Middle-of-the-pack isn’t good enough here in the Lone Star State. Not when we face threats we couldn’t have even imagined when I was growing up, stuff like cartel violence and fentanyl pouring into our state. The status quo isn’t enough anymore. We must do more. It’s time to Back the Blue. I yield.

Character: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) City/County: Montgomery County (TX) - Conroe, The Woodlands “Illegal immigration is out of control. It’s gotten that way because a cabal of politicians and wealthy elites – in both parties – have allowed it to happen. In many cases, they’ve directly benefited it from it. Want an example? Drive 30 minutes down the road to Colony Ridge. A couple of crooked real estate developers – who also happened to be Republican donors – built the world’s largest trailer park and used predatory lending practices to lure in thousands of illegal immigrants who were vulnerable to exploitation. This isn’t a conspiracy. It’s fact. They intentionally did not require a social security number on the application so that they could sell land to illegal immigrants. And after more than a decade in business, they’re finally being sued by the state and the feds. “It never should have taken that long, and it only happened because grassroots conservative activists – like y'all – finally said enough was enough and made sure the whole world knew what was happening. It’s not just real estate developers who are preying on illegal immigrants. Employers do it too. They’re hiring undocumented workers under the table at cut-rate wages, driving American citizens out of the labor market. “The federal government has completely and utterly failed to deal with this. But where they have failed, we will succeed here in the Lone Star State. As part of my Texas First agenda, we will require all employers in Texas to participate in the e-verify system. We’re also going to build a wall on our border with Mexico and increase the budget for Operation Lone Star. “I don’t care that the guys who developed Colony Ridge are Republican donors. I don’t want their money. I’m not part of the cabal, and I don’t want to be. I’m with y'all. But I’ll be real honest, it probably puts me at a disadvantage. That’s why tonight, I need your help. I need you to step up and give whatever you can so that we can put Texas First.” View full fundraiser

Authoring Character: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) From The Office of Kyle Fitzgerald For Immediate Release Austin, TX – State Legislator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-San Antonio) spoke to the press after introducing the Statewide E-Verify Act. “Sanctuary policies attract illegal immigrants like magnets. Here in Texas, we shut off one of those magnets a few years ago when we outlawed sanctuary cities. However, the employment magnet remains because Texas still doesn’t require all employers to participate in the e-verify system. That is why today I introduced the Statewide E-Verify Act. This bill shuts off the employment magnet and requires that all employers in Texas participate in the e-verify system, ensuring that Texas jobs go to Texans and not illegal immigrants. When certain employers hire illegal immigrants under the table, it hurts Texas workers and honest Texas businesses. It makes it harder for workers and businesses to compete, and it drags down wages. The Statewide E-Verify Act will reduce illegal immigration and protect Texas workers.” View full press release

Title: Statewide E-Verify Act State: Texas The law the bill will change:: Sanctuary Policies Effect of the change:: Lower Sponsor: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) Summary: This bill lowers sanctuary policies in Texas. Specifically, this bill requires all employers in Texas to participate in the e-verify system. View full bill

Character: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) City/County: Bexar County (TX) - San Antonio Kyle Fitzgerald held a fundraiser in San Antonio, TX hosted by the San Antonio Police Officers’ Association Political Action Committee (SAPOA PAC). The event was attended by conservative donors and friends of law enforcement. Fitzgerald talked about the Back the Blue Act, a bill he recently introduced to increase police funding in Texas. He talked about how grants from the bill would go towards local law enforcement agencies like the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sherriff’s Office. View full fundraiser

Authoring Character: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) From The Office of Kyle Fitzgerald For Immediate Release Austin, TX – State Legislator Kyle Fitzgerald (R-San Antonio) spoke to the press after introducing the Back the Blue Act, the first item of Fitzgerald’s “Texas First” agenda. “Today I was proud to introduce the first item of my Texas First agenda, called the Back the Blue Act. This act increases police funding in our state to keep our citizens safe from all kinds of threats. “First of all, this bill provides grants to local law enforcement agencies so we can put more cops on the beat and give them the tools they need to keep our communities safe. There is a shortage of police officers at the local level right now, and this bill provides local police departments with the incentives they need to bring people back into the profession. Second, the bill provides additional funding to state agencies like the DPS Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers – giving these agencies the personnel and the tools they need to keep our state safe. Third, the bill prioritizes border security. It increases the budget for the highly successful Operation Lone Star. It also authorizes and funds the construction of a border wall on our southern border with Mexico. Where the federal government has failed, Texas will succeed. “Right now, Texas ranks in the middle-of-the-pack for police funding nationwide. We’ve done a lot of good things to keep Texans safe, but we can do better. The Back the Blue Act will keep Texans safe from whatever criminals throw our way.” View full press release

Nay

Title: Back the Blue Act State: Texas The law the bill will change:: Police Funding Effect of the change:: Raise Sponsor: Kyle Fitzgerald (R-TX) This bill increases police funding in Texas from Moderate to High. Specifically, this bill: 1) Provides grants to local law enforcement agencies for the following purposes: Hiring and retention of law enforcement personnel, including incentives Purchasing new vehicles, communications technology, and safety equipment Developing community policing initiatives and officer training programs 2) Provides additional funding and equipment for DPS Highway Patrol for the following purposes: Hiring additional highway patrol officers Purchasing advanced surveillance technology and new patrol vehicles Upgrading officer equipment, including body armor, firearms, and communications systems 3) Provides additional funding to the Texas Rangers for the following purposes: Improve investigative capabilities Hire more personnel Acquire equipment necessary for complex criminal investigations related to human trafficking, drug smuggling, and organized crime 4) Provides additional funding to border security operations for the following purposes: Increase the budget for Operation Lone Star Additional funds for the construction and reinforcement of physical barriers along the Texas-Mexico border, covering costs associated with land acquisition, material procurement, and labor for the construction and maintenance of a border wall. View full bill

Name: Kyle Van Horn Seat: Kentucky 3 Party: Republican Avatar: Kliff Kingsbury Major Caucus: Freedom Special Talent: Regular Joe Dark Secret: GENDER: Male: 0 Points AGE: 40-44 years old: 10 Points SEXUALITY: Straight, married with < 3 children: -5 Points RACE/ANCESTRY: White/Caucasian: 0 Points RELIGION: Evangelical or Mainline Protestant: 0 Points EDUCATIONAL HISTORY: Bachelor’s Degree College Degree at (non-Ivy Level) Public/Private University: 5 Points SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY: Middle/Working Class: 15 points CAREER HISTORY: Blue-collar management: 15 points Blue-collar worker: 10 points Commissioned Officer (O-1 to O-5): 10 Points AWARDS AND EXTRAS: none POLITICAL EXPERIENCE HISTORY: 2-Term State Senator: 4 points 64 points Kyle Van Horn was born on November 11, 1979 in Louisa, KY. He earned an Associate's Degree from Valley Forge Military College and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve through the Early Commissioning Program. He then transferred to the University of Kentucky to obtain his bachelor's degree. After graduating from UK in 2002, he became an active duty officer and deployed to Iraq with the First Cavalry Division. After leaving the Army in 2006, he went home to work for his father's coal trucking company, eventually taking over the company himself. In 2016, he entered politics and ran for the State Senate from the 31st District against incumbent Ray Jones II. Van Horn was the only Republican to file and won the election in November, becoming the first Republican to represent the district since the 1960's. Van Horn was very conservative on social issues but more populist on economic issues, which made him popular in his rural Eastern Kentucky district but put him at odds with Governor Matt Bevin. Van Horn voted against a bill to make Kentucky a right-to-work state and also opposed pension reform. In 2019, Van Horn decided to primary Bevin when he ran for re-election as Governor. Despite Donald Trump's endorsement of Matt Bevin, Van Horn performed very well in rural parts of the state and almost won the primary. In 2020, Van Horn was re-elected as State Senator. In 2022, Van Horn ran for U.S. Senate with the endorsement of Donald Trump and won the election. He and his wife Grace live in Louisa and have one child.