Last year, Colorado Newsline reported that, contrary to U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans’ claims that his grandfather immigrated “the legal way,” Evans’ grandfather actually was an undocumented Mexican immigrant with a criminal record (attempted burglary) when he got his American citizenship in 1946, after a law was passed allowing immigrants with criminal records to do so.
Evans invoked his grandfather again over the weekend, touting legislation that, he claimed, would allow undocumented immigrants the opportunity to take the same “path” to the American Dream that his grandfather took.
That’s not true. Evans’ grandfather’s path included citizenship, while Evans’ bill offers work permits for some undocumented immigrants.
And Evans’ grandfather wouldn’t even have qualified for a work permit under Evans’ legislation because of his burglary arrest, widely considered a felony.
Yet, Evans boldly stood in front of the U.S. Capitol over the weekend, and said, “I know how important it is for hard-working folks to be able to have the same path that my abuelo [grandfather] had, to be able to earn that American dream, not given, earn that American dream.”
Evans also repeated the debunked statement that his grandfather, Cuauhtemoc Chavez, “earned his citizenship fighting in World War II in Western Europe.”
The Republican congressman made the comments about his grandfather in a video to promote the Dignity Act, a bill that would offer work permits to some immigrants.
Evans appears to be trying to present himself as an ally of immigrants — as someone who understands the immigrant experience — at a time when Hispanic voters and others worry about being swept up in Trump’s mass deportation programs, which Evans supported throughout his congressional campaign and continues to back.
“My district is 40%, cuarenta por ciento, Hispanic, and so being able to do two things, being able to give that path for people that want to work hard, that want to contribute to the American economy, American society, that want to follow our laws, that want to raise their families here, like my abuelo [grandfather] did,” said Evans referring to his Dignity Act bill.
Evans not only continues to make false or misleading statements about his grandfather in media appearances, but he also promotes him on his campaign website, which features two photos of Cuauhtemoc Chavez, who entered the country unlawfully with his mother in 1929.
Evans has never acknowledged that the immigration policies he’s backing now, had they been in effect in the 1930s and 40s, would have prioritized the deportation of his own grandfather.
Evans Backs Trump’s Immigration Agenda
Evans, who was endorsed by Trump, not only voted to fund the president’s mass deportation plan, but, ironically, he also backed a Laken Riley Act, later signed into law by Trump, that specifically targets immigrants like his grandfather who have burglary arrests. Evans has said he doesn’t want ICE to arrest noncriminals, but he supports 100% of arrests made by ICE — even though most ICE arrests are noncriminals. After ICE’s killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Evans’ office called for an investigation and issued a statement implying that it was the fault of the Biden Administration. He also called for an investigation of Renee Good’s death, even though the Justice Department has said it will conduct no such investigation. Last year, Evans didn’t oppose Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship, and he supports ICE’s plan to open a jail in Evans’ congressional district.
Against this backdrop, critics have said Evans wants to have it “both ways” on immigration, trying to appear both hard-line and compassionate, even though his votes and allegiance to Trump’s immigration agenda have objectively had more real-world impact than his symbolic gestures (letters, long-shot legislation).
Evans’ office did not immediately respond to a request to explain Evans’ comments. But an Evans’ spokeswoman told Newsline last year: “In Hispanic culture, immigrating the ‘right way’ generally means working hard, contributing to their community, and not causing problems — not necessarily that something is 100% perfectly legal.”
Evans defeated Democrat Yadira Caraveo in 2024 by fewer than 2,500 votes. The mid-term election battle in his swing district will help determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year.
CLARIFICATION 1/4/26: Under the Dignity Act, depending on the disposition of his burglary offense, Gabe Evans’ grandfather may have been able to appeal a failed criminal background check and benefit from the law under certain categories. Regardless, the act would not put Evans’ grandfather — or any immigrant — on the same path to citizenship that Evans’ grandfather took in his life.
