Lance Gooden, a U.S. Congressman representing Texas’s 5th district since 2019, recently posted several comments on social media regarding welfare, immigration enforcement, and federal worker pay.
On March 29, 2026, Gooden claimed: “80% of Somali immigrants are on welfare. $9 billion in Somali fraud. Tim Walz’s response? Unconditional loyalty to the people ripping off American taxpayers.”
The following day, he commented on law enforcement and immigration policies: “Violent left-wing protesters can cover their faces to assault law enforcement. But ICE agents can’t wear masks to prevent doxxing. Got it.” (March 30, 2026).
Later that same day, Gooden addressed issues facing Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers: “TSA agents finally get paid after weeks of waiting thanks to President @realDonaldTrump. When Americans walk into the voting booth in November, they will remember that Democrats risked airline safety to protect criminal illegal aliens.” (March 30, 2026).
Gooden has held his congressional seat since replacing Jeb Hensarling in 2019 and previously served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. In recent election cycles, he won re-election by substantial margins against Democratic opponents Ruth Torres (2024), Tartisha Hill (2022), Carolyn Salter (2020), and Dan Wood (2018).
