Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar
Official portrait, 2017
Henry Cuellar
Born	Enrique Roberto Cuellar 19 9, 1955
Birthplace	Laredo, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Title	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 28th congressional district
Known for	U.S. Representative for Texas's 28th congressional district
Education	Georgetown University (BS) University of Texas at Austin (JD, PhD) Texas A&M International University (MA) Naval War College (MS)
Spouse(s)	Imelda Cuellar
Children	2

Enrique Roberto "Henry" Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 28th congressional district since 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuellar represents a sprawling South Texas district that extends from the Rio Grande toward the suburbs of San Antonio. Born and raised in Laredo, Texas, Cuellar built a lengthy career in Texas politics before entering Congress, serving 14 years in the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2001 and briefly serving as the Secretary of State of Texas in 2001 under Governor Rick Perry. That appointment made him, as of 2025, the most recent Democrat to have held a statewide office in Texas. Considered one of the most conservative members of the House Democratic caucus, Cuellar has carved out a reputation as a centrist who has at times broken with his party on issues including immigration and gun rights. His congressional tenure has been marked by comfortable general election victories alongside a series of competitive Democratic primary challenges. In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Houston indicted Cuellar on charges of money laundering, bribery, and conspiracy related to alleged payments from the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican commercial bank. He was pardoned by President Donald Trump in December 2025 before the case went to trial.

Early Life

Henry Cuellar was born on September 19, 1955, in Laredo, Texas, a border city situated along the Rio Grande in Webb County. He was born into a Mexican-American family with deep roots in the South Texas border region. His father, Martin Siller Cuellar Sr., and his mother, Odilia P. Cuellar, raised their family in Laredo. Growing up in a predominantly Hispanic community along the United States–Mexico border shaped Cuellar's later political focus on trade, border security, and immigration policy. Laredo's economy has long been closely tied to cross-border commerce, and the city has historically ranked as one of the nation's busiest commercial ports of entry — issues that would become central to Cuellar's political career.

Legal Issues

In May 2024, Cuellar and his wife Imelda were indicted on federal charges including bribery of a federal official, conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, acting as a foreign agent under FARA, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment alleged that Cuellar and his wife accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan's state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank in exchange for official acts over a seven-year period. Both Cuellar and his wife maintained their innocence throughout the legal proceedings. On December 3, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Cuellar and his wife a full and unconditional pardon before the case went to trial.

External links

• Henry Cuellar on Prisonpedia