Chicago City Wire

Commentator Steve Cortes created a stir at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago when he tried to gain entry for himself and an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. 

The incident, which unfolded on August 20, saw Cortes and the migrant, Edwin, being turned away by security at the United Center for lack of proper identification.

"Hey, Steve Cortes here at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center," Cortes said in a video posted to X. "The Democrats, of course, want open borders and want an endless stream of illegal migrants pouring into the United States. This is my new acquaintance, Edwin. Say hello."

Edwin, who was unable to produce identification at two gates, was met with a firm response from security guards. 

"You have to have credentials," one guard informed Cortes. 

Cortes mocked the security protocols, drawing a parallel between the convention’s restrictions and border security. 

"What, you mean he needs credentials and permission to come in and get past the wall? It's like a border wall in a way, huh?" Cortes asked.

Despite their attempts, Cortes and Edwin were not permitted entry. 

"We would like to get some credentials for Edwin," Cortes said to a volunteer handling credentialing. "He’s a migrant from Venezuela. We figured that they would love to have a migrant from Venezuela come in."

The volunteer quickly asked Cortes to stop filming the interchange. 

"We’ve been ejected from the DNC credentialing office because we’re not permitted to be here," Cortes said. 

"Seems like the United States would use similar rules about crossing the US border."

In a final exchange as Edwin and Cortes walked away from the United Center Cortes pointed out the contrast between the Democrats’ stance on border security and their own event's access control. 

"Kamala Harris has an open border. You're allowed in America. You're not allowed into her party," he concluded. "Well, Edwin, we tried. Two gates, credentials 0-3, that's a strikeout."

In a post on X accompanying the video, Cortes drew a sharp comparison between how the Democrats treat security at the DNC in comparison to the nation’s borders.

"The DNC is more secure than America’s border," Cortes said. "When a Venezuelan migrant tried to get into the DNC, he was denied due to lack of ID, failure to submit an application, and no credentials. Why is Kamala enforcing the rules at her convention but not at our border?"

Under the Biden/Harris administration, illegal immigration from Venezuela has surged dramatically, with over half a million Venezuelans encountered at U.S. borders, making them the second most commonly encountered nationality after Mexicans. 

Federation For American Immigration Reform has attributed this spike to Biden/Harris Administration policies, which have incentivized more Venezuelans to enter the U.S. 

As Harris seeks the presidency, former President Donald Trump and Republican figures have shifted the focus of their criticism to her, accusing her of mishandling current immigration issues. 

This change in strategy highlights her earlier criticisms of Trump’s immigration policies and her role as the Biden administration’s “border czar,” a position she has attempted to distance herself from amid the arrival of an estimated 10.5 to 13 million undocumented immigrants during her tenure.

A Fox News contributor and former Trump campaign official, Cortes is spokesman for the Hispanic 100 and President of The League of American Workers.