A border-state Democrat in the House says he does not think Republican lawmakers will “stand up” to President Trump on the “zero tolerance” policy leading to separating families at the southern border.

Rep. Ruben Gallego Ruben GallegoHispanic caucus report takes stock of accomplishments with eye toward 2021 Senators call on Pentagon to reinstate funding for Stars and Stripes newspaper Hispanic Caucus campaign chief to mount leadership bid MORE (D-Ariz.), speaking to Hill.TV “Rising” host Krystal Ball, said he thinks that most GOP lawmakers are “cowards” who will not stand up to the president.

In an interview that aired Wenesday, Gallego said that while some Republicans have publicly stated their opposition to the controversial policy, he expects most GOP lawmakers to fall in line with the president.

“It’s a good development. It shows you that public pressure is starting to have at least some effect,” Gallego said. “[But] I think, at the end of the day, Republicans are going to go back to their true nature. They’re going to be cowards. They’re not going to stand up against Donald Trump.”

“To rely on the Republicans, whether it’s the House or the Senate to actually have any type of spine when it comes to this — I doubt it," Gallego added.

Gallego said he expects to see from Republicans eager to show they care about migrant children, but does not expect those actions to be backed up by results.

“I expect to see some Kabuki Theatre to make them look like they care about those kids,” Gallego said. “But at the end of the day, they're [Republicans] more afraid of Donald Trump, his tweets and the Republican base than about caring about these kids and their families.”

Gallego's comments come amid backlash to the policy as news that hundreds of children as young as toddlers are being sent to at least three already-operational “tender age” detainment facilities in Texas.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have criticized the administration over the policy, pointing to statements from pediatricians who have visited the centers calling the practice “child abuse” and demanding a halt to the separations.

President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE, however, continues to defend the policy and in a Tuesday tweet warned of undocumented immigrants seeking to “infest” the country.

“We must always arrest people coming into our Country illegally. Of the 12,000 children, 10,000 are being sent by their parents on a very dangerous trip, and only 2000 are with their parents, many of whom have tried to enter our Country illegally on numerous occasions,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

"Democrats are the problem. They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters!" he continued in another tweet.

— John Bowden