Exclusive - Republican Rep-Elect Nick LaLota: Time to 'Secure the Damn Border Already’

The U.S. government needs to “secure the damn border already,” according to newly-elected Republican congressman Nick LaLota (NY-1 House seat previously held by Lee Zeldin), who also called to put the country’s economy “back on the right track” by making America energy independent and expressed his wish for leaders in Washington to be “as concerned with our own border as they [are] with other nations’ borders.”

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Friday, LaLota began by describing his decision to run for congress out of his “love” for America.

“I ran for Congress because I love my country and, like my family has done before, I’m eager to serve it,” he said.

As a Surface Warfare Officer who attained the rank of lieutenant, the Long Island native served as Assistant Operations Officer on the USS Curts and as a Tactical Action Officer on the nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.  

He was later awarded a Joint Service Commendation Medal in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Touting his military experience, the 43-year-old LaLota explained why running for office came naturally following his naval career and family background.

“I was a naval officer for seven years; my father was a police officer; both my grandfathers were police officers; and my brother spent a career of 20 years in the Marines and earned the Bronze Star in Iraq,” he said.

“And when the opportunity came to run for Congress, I jumped at it because I want to be part of a team to provide solutions for our great country,” he added. 

LaLota, who recently defeated Democrat Bridget Fleming in New York’s First District after the position was vacated by Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) so he could run for governor, also detailed the issues he hopes to fight for during the upcoming session.

“The things I want to work on are the things I campaigned for and promised voters I would work on,” he said. “Things to put our economy back on the right track and things to make our public safety better.”

He also called for a “two-pronged approach” to put the country’s economy “back on the right track.” 

“We should make America energy independent; we should drill for oil on federal land; we should expedite the permit process,” he said. “We shouldn’t beg OPEC (The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), Venezuela and Russia for their energy when we have it right here which we can get out of our grounds cleanly and safely.” 

“And we should do so [because] that would help bring prices down here on Long Island, in New York, and the rest of the country,” he added.

In addition, LaLota explained the need to “start balancing our federal budgets.” 

“It’s been 20 years since the federal government balanced the budget,” he said. “That’s a bipartisan problem that Republicans, now with control of the House, need to focus on to ensure that we provide the next generation of Americans just as many opportunities as we have had.”

“And their $1 trillion deficit and $31 trillion debt, placed that opportunity in jeopardy,” he added. “We need to get to work on that.”

On public safety and national security, LaLota argued that the federal government “needs to secure the damn border already,” noting that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been “negligent, if not blatantly reckless,” in his failure to secure the border.

“We need to secure the border and improve the process by which we jettison the dangerous folks who have crossed our border illegally,” he said, highlighting the need for a physical barrier combined with additional border agents and federal immigration judges.

“Those are the things I want to focus on first and foremost after I get sworn in,” he added.

He accused Mayorkas of a “dereliction of duty,” promising “there will be hearings, there’ll be sworn testimony, and he’ll have to be accountable to a House committee with a Republican with the gavel.” 

“And I think that we, as a conference, and we, as a nation, will have to make an assessment after he presents himself under oath in front of a Republican gavel,” he added.

Asked about the likelihood of passing legislation in a divided government, now that Republicans are set to take control of the House while the Senate remains in Democratic hands, LaLota expressed hope.

“I think that necessity is the mother of invention,” he said, “and the nature of the House being controlled by Republicans and the Senate controlled by Democrats may create a necessity by which the parties have to compromise and work with each other.” 

On the border, LaLota insisted that Republicans want border security.

“We Republicans want to ensure that it’s not a porous border as it is right now,” he said. “And I understand Democrats want some accommodations on the immigration process.” 

“So maybe there will be some sort of compromise proposal that will have enough votes for it,” he added. 

Though “the devil is always in the details,” he maintained that the structure of the House and the Senate may actually “provide for an opportunity for the parties to negotiate with each other.” 

The representative-elect also weighed in on foreign policy and the continued funding of Ukrainian defense, calling it a “threshold matter.”

“I wish that leaders in Washington were as concerned with our own border as they were with other nations’ borders,” he said. “And I don’t support a blank cheque to any overseas nation.” 

“However, I do understand, appreciate, and value that America is the world’s only superpower and that we do have a role to play with respect to global stability,” he added. 

While noting the importance of investing in Ukraine’s security, LaLota insisted “we should get more out of our European partners.” 

“They need to pony up more of their own resources to ensure that whatever is invested into defending the Ukrainian people and stabilizing the region, our European partners need to play a greater role in that,” he said.

“I think the administration is failing in their responsibility to ensure that the most burdensome brunt of the financial investment is borne by the American taxpayers,” he added. “I think we need to right that wrong.”

LaLota, who served in different leadership roles in local government including chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature, concluded by saying he is “ready to get to work” as a member of Congress.

“I’m ready to be sworn-in, roll up my sleeves, and work to put this great country back on the right track,” he said. “It’s a country worth saving.”