Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) is utilizing a congressional ad paid for through his House office to highlight what he refers to as the “real results” he’s achieved for Starr County.
“Hello, this is Congressman Henry Cuellar. Each day in Congress, I’ve been diligently working to bring real results for Starr County. This includes making roads safer, supporting our educational institutions, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and providing law enforcement and veterans with necessary resources. Additionally, I’m committed to strong border security, all while keeping taxes low to help Starr County thrive,” Cuellar states in the advertisement.
The ad includes a disclosure stating, “Paid for by the Office of U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar.”
According to the Members’ Congressional Handbook the expenses related to these advertisements are reimbursable, as long as they comply with federal laws and House regulations, including content and disclosure standards outlined in the Communications Standards Manual.
The handbook also emphasizes that members are required to disclose the source of payment for official advertisements within both television and radio ads. There are three acceptable disclosure formats: “Paid for with official funds from the office of [Member’s name],” “Paid for by the funds authorized by the House of Representatives for the [district number] District of [name of state],” or “Paid for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives.”
Earlier this month, a video obtained by Breitbart News seemed to show a City of Escobares employee putting up Cuellar campaign signs in Starr County, with a city truck parked nearby. Texas law prohibits municipal workers from using city resources for political advertising, and the Texas Ethics Commission has indicated that using government resources for a public servant’s personal campaign is a misuse of funds. Both the city and Cuellar’s campaign have not responded to inquiries about this.
Cuellar’s brother, Martin Cuellar, the Sheriff of Webb County (D), was indicted, along with Assistant Chief Deputy Alejandro Gutierrez, in a federal case that alleges misuse of sheriff’s office personnel and resources to run a private disinfecting business. Prosecutors claim this private enterprise secured a $500,000 contract with a school district, utilizing predominantly county staff and equipment. If convicted, both face up to ten years in prison, while Martin Cuellar also faces an additional money laundering charge.
Cuellar has recently criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, having previously remarked on the Biden administration’s management of border issues. In March, he noted, “Some people were dissatisfied with what Biden did regarding open borders,” but went on to say, “we’re not discussing open borders now.” He expressed concerns about “the aggressiveness of ICE” at job sites involving individuals without criminal records who have resided in the U.S. for a long time, as well as criticism of Republicans for “building border walls” after a decline in border crossings. He also referred to tariffs as “a hidden tax” impacting consumers.
Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, faced their own legal troubles, having been indicted in 2024 on federal bribery charges for allegedly accepting over half a million dollars from an energy company with ties to Azerbaijan and a bank in Mexico City. Cuellar denied any wrongdoing. In December 2025, Trump issued full pardons for the couple, arguing that the prosecution was driven by political motivations linked to Cuellar’s critiques of the Biden administration’s policies on the border.
