By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
The questions raised by residents during a recent McKinney town hall reflect issues that have been discussed repeatedly across Texas’ 3rd Congressional District.
Topics including voting laws, immigration enforcement, war powers and religious freedom have surfaced at multiple public meetings with constituents in recent months.
Transcripts from those discussions and written updates sent to residents by Rep. Keith Self’s office offer a record of how the congressman has addressed several of the same concerns when they have been raised in other settings.
Voting Laws and the SAVE Act
One of the questions raised during the McKinney town hall involved the proposed SAVE Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Some residents expressed concern that requiring documentation such as passports or birth certificates could create barriers for voters who do not have easy access to those records.
At previous town halls, Self has argued the legislation is intended to strengthen election integrity.
“The weakness in our system today is mail-in ballots,” Self said during one discussion with constituents. “That’s the weak link in election integrity today.”
Self has also said that while elections are largely administered by states, certain federal standards may still be necessary.
“We don’t want the federal government running your elections,” he said. “But we have to have some sort of federal standards, and citizens voting is one of those standards.”
Self did not cite specific evidence during the town hall discussion to support his claim that mail-in ballots represent a major vulnerability in the voting system.
Immigration Enforcement
Immigration enforcement and the role of federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement were also discussed during the McKinney event.
At previous town halls, Self defended federal enforcement efforts and said cooperation between federal and local authorities plays a major role in how those policies operate.
“Texas has more than ten times the number of apprehensions and deportations as Minnesota, and yet it’s totally calm here,” Self said during one town hall discussion.
He attributed that difference to coordination between agencies.
“It’s because our local and state police cooperate with ICE and Border Patrol.”
War Powers and Military Action
Questions about congressional authority over military action were also raised during the McKinney town hall, including whether Congress should reclaim its constitutional role in authorizing the use of force.
At a previous meeting with constituents, Self acknowledged that Congress has gradually ceded authority over military decisions to the executive branch.
“For decades now, Congress has ceded a lot of its power to the presidency,” Self said.
He also said presidents have increasingly relied on executive authority when ordering military actions.
“We do have a president that is taking liberal use of Article II executive authority.”
Self has expressed similar views in communications with constituents. In a recent newsletter discussing debate in the House over the War Powers Resolution, he argued the measure limiting presidential authority was unconstitutional.
“Every President, Republican and Democrat alike, has argued [the War Powers Resolution] is unconstitutional since its enactment,” Self wrote.
He added that the president has a constitutional responsibility to act when national security threats arise.
“As the Article II branch, the President has the constitutional duty as Commander in Chief to defend the United States from tyrannical regimes that threaten our nation and our allies.”
Sharia Law and Cultural Concerns
Another exchange during the McKinney town hall addressed Self’s focus on Sharia law and related legislation.
At previous meetings, Self described the issue as a cultural concern and said he supports legislation intended to prevent American courts from recognizing foreign religious legal rulings.
“I think this is truly an existential threat to our self-governing constitutional republic,” Self said during one town hall when discussing the topic.
He also framed the issue in broader cultural terms.
“We either defeat that, because they intend to dominate our culture and our civilization.”
Continuing Questions in the District
The McKinney town hall brought together residents with questions about federal policies affecting Texas’ 3rd Congressional District — from voting laws and immigration enforcement to war powers and religious freedom.
While Rep. Keith Self did not attend the event, many of the same questions have surfaced at town halls he has held with constituents in recent months and in newsletters sent to residents who subscribe to updates from his office.
Those earlier discussions provide a record of how the congressman has responded when those issues have been raised elsewhere in the district, offering voters insight into his positions even though the exchange did not take place in McKinney.