Rep. Nicole Malliotakis criticized Democratic leadership over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security during an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, arguing that securing funding for the agency should take precedence over additional congressional hearings.

The discussion focused on the role of the Department of Homeland Security in protecting the United States from terrorism and other national security threats, particularly as New York City remains a high-profile target.

Bartiromo began the exchange by questioning the priorities of lawmakers on the left, referencing congressional hearings related to Iran while funding for the Department of Homeland Security remained unresolved.

“So your colleagues on the left one hearings on Iran, and yet the Department of Homeland Security is still closed. Is that not a bigger priority than more hearings?” Bartiromo asked.

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Malliotakis responded by saying that funding the department should be the top priority for lawmakers, pointing to ongoing threats facing the country and the role DHS plays in addressing them.

“Yeah, absolutely, the first order of business needs to fund our department Homeland Security,” Malliotakis said. “The reality is, we face threats. We always face threats.”

The New York congresswoman highlighted the significance of the department’s mission, particularly given the continued security concerns facing major American cities.

“And right now, with New York City being a number one terror target, my priority is to make sure that we fund this department that was created after September 11,” Malliotakis said.

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She also referenced the historical context behind the department’s creation, noting that it was established in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

“And here we are on the 25th anniversary of September 11, and you have two legislative leaders, Democrats, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, who are from New York and should know better than anyone what's at risk, and they're playing political games,” Malliotakis said.

Malliotakis argued that the debate surrounding DHS funding reflects broader political disagreements about border security and immigration policy.

“It is really ludicrous, and at the end of the day, it seems that what they're telling the American people is they rather have open borders,” Malliotakis said.

She also criticized what she described as a failure to prioritize border enforcement and public safety.

“They rather have criminal illegal immigrants on our streets than to secure our borders, to provide public safety and to make sure that our counterterrorism and cyber security programs are fully funded,” Malliotakis said.

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