GEOFF BENNETT: And for a GOP perspective, we're joined by Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis of New York.

She's at the Republican House retreat in Florida tonight.

Thanks for being with us.

Understanding that President Trump believes he has a mandate and that the administration wants to make sure that federal funding is in alignment with his agenda items, it's a core constitutional principle that Congress gets to decide how to spend taxpayer money.

It's, as you know, one of the separation of powers.

Do you have any concerns about the president's actions here?

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-NY): Well, Congress does have the power of the purse and that's why we allocate the funding and we determine what levels to what agencies.

The difference here is, he's talking about grants and loans that are decided by bureaucrats.

At the end of the day, it is not Congress -- and this is one of our actual pet peeves with the process.

We have too many federal bureaucrats that are sitting behind a desk, not in touch with our constituents and the needs that they have, that are making decisions on how these grants are issued into what organizations.

So I think it is warranted that there is a pause so we can reflect on how this money is being spent.

But, also, I think President Trump is in his right to say that he issued 350 executive orders over the past week.

A lot of those executive orders would mean certain programs that -- DEI, for example, Green New Deal programs, would not be eligible any longer for federal funding.

And so to put a pause, to just review, to make sure that the grants that are being issued, our precious tax dollars, which obviously are very limited, are being -- being sent to organizations that are in compliance with those agenda -- the Trump agenda and the executive orders that he has issued over the last week.

I think that's actually a fiscally responsible thing to do.

We are stewards of taxpayer money, and we should want to ensure that the money is going to be spent properly.

GEOFF BENNETT: Understanding that President Trump objects to some of President Biden's climate initiatives, there is no such thing as the Green New Deal.

But how is this not an encroachment on the purview of Congress, given that this funding was approved by Congress and signed into law?

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS: Because we're not talking about the funding level.

That's not changing.

What we're talking about is the way these grants are issued.

And it's not Congress.

For earmarks, when we do earmarks, that is members of Congress deciding which organizations or which infrastructure projects in our district are receiving funding.

What this is, these are grants that are being issued by federal agencies.

And who's making that determination?

It's not Congress.

It's bureaucrats that are sitting in these agencies.

The American people voted for a new Congress.

They voted for a new White House.

And they voted for a change in policy.

So they don't want to see money, their tax dollars, their precious tax dollars, when we have a $37 trillion debt, going to necessarily these -- these left-wing programs that were approved under the Biden administration and the Democrats when they were in power.

GEOFF BENNETT: To your point, the White House says this pause won't affect Americans who receive direct payments from the government.

But there are nonprofit groups that I imagine your constituents rely on, groups like Meals on Wheels and other organizations that serve especially older Americans and people other people at the -- at the margins, who say that they're concerned about their funding and their ability to meet the needs of the people that they serve, to which what would you say to them tonight?

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS: Well, I don't -- I don't think that the president issued an executive order in the last week that affects Meals on Wheels, nor do I know that they were expecting a grant from the federal government.

Again, this is just a pause to review the money that is supposed to be going out.

And it's an appropriate pause to just make sure that people's tax dollars are being used appropriately and in line with the policies of this administration and the executive orders that have been in place over the last week.

It's as simple as that.

And if they are in line and they are not violating the executive orders that were put in place, then the money will flow to them.

GEOFF BENNETT: I also want to ask you about the series of immigration raids we have seen in New York City and across other cities across the country, nearly 1,200 arrests on Sunday alone, according to a Trump administration official.

And nearly half of those detained don't have criminal records.

That's, again, according to a senior Trump administration official.

How does that sit with you?

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS: Well, no, they are criminals, and that's why they were arrested.

They have been arrested for all sorts of crimes.

And you look at the list in New York City alone, right?

We had an MS-13 gang member.

We had a guy from Dominican Republic who was -- who's wanted for murder of two people in his home country.

You had sex offenders.

You have all sorts of criminals and gang members that have been taken off the streets.

These are not innocent people, and anyone who tries to act like they're innocent is really not being honest with the American people, because these are hardened criminals.

They are gang members.

They're actually suspected terrorists in the mix as well as it relates to New York City alone.

So my constituents who have been dealing with havoc being wreaked on our streets because of the criminal element that has been allowed to enter into this country under the Biden administration are quite pleased that they're seeing these individuals who are dangerous and committing crimes being detained and deported.

And I would urge my mayor, my NYPD, my governor to comply with these detainers and not stand in the way of federal law being enforced, because we have seen thousands of crimes committed in New York City alone.

GEOFF BENNETT: But, Congresswoman, that's -- if you will permit me, that's not what this senior Trump administration official is saying.

This person is saying that nearly half of those detained do not have a violent criminal record, that their only offense was coming across the border illegally.

And that is viewed as a civil offense, not a criminal offense.

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS: No, that's not my understanding, that that -- yes, that is not my understanding at all.

My understanding is that they're going after the criminals.

And the ones that I have seen and read about have been people who are dangerous and committing crimes.

That is their priority.

We have tens of thousands of people who committed horrible crimes in New York City alone.

Forget about the rest of the country.

And we need to make sure those people are removed.

And you know what?

My constituents read about it every day.

They see it.

They know that there have been -- there have been cops that have been assaulted by people in the country illegally.

There have been people who have been stabbed.

There was a woman set on fire by somebody on the train and died at the hands of somebody who is in this country illegally.

Cops were shot at and assaulted by people in this country illegally.

And murder has been committed in New York City by individuals who have been in this country illegally.

And it has to end.

And that is who this administration is prioritizing.

If you're hearing something else, I don't know.

I would love to see that source.

But that's not what I have -- that's not my understanding at all.

GEOFF BENNETT: OK, that is Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis of New York.

Thanks for being with us.

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS: Thank you.