LULAC EXPRESSES OUTRAGE AND CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO REPORTS OF DPS TROOPER ORDERING MIGRANT CHILDREN BE PUSHED INTO RIO GRANDE RIVER
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Charges Texas Governor Greg Abbott with Un-American and Non-Christian Actions Against Defenseless Christian Refugees
Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) condemns the reported incidents involving Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers and their treatment of vulnerable asylum seekers along the Rio Grande River. LULAC expresses its outrage at the distressing accounts and calls for an immediate federal investigation into these incidents.
Domingo Garcia, the National President of LULAC, states, "LULAC condemns the inhumane treatment of innocent people and denounces the use of razor wire, buoys, and any other barriers that jeopardize the safety of women and children seeking asylum. These are Christian refugees, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Operation Lone Star is utterly barbaric, and Governor Abbott and all those supporting him must answer for their actions. What would Jesus say about such treatment of the most vulnerable in society?"
Join In the National LULAC Emergency Statement
Border Crisis Press Conference
Time: Jul 18, 2023, 04:30 PM Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
lulac.zoom.us/j/87595952974?pwd=SlZVeFhSa0t1Z2hickMwVWlXWkZsZz09
Meeting ID: 875 9595 2974
Passcode: 459122
According to several previously unreported incidents witnessed by a trooper in Eagle Pass, Texas has implemented miles of razor wire and a wall of buoys in the Rio Grande. These actions have led to alarming consequences, endangering the lives of innocent individuals seeking refuge. LULAC denounces using such barriers, as they harm women and children while pursuing asylum. One incident described in an email sent by the trooper to a superior recounts the heartbreaking discovery of a pregnant woman who had experienced a miscarriage, caught in the razor wire late last month. She was found doubled over in pain, highlighting the dangers these barriers pose to those in desperate need. Additionally, a four-year-old girl fainted from heat exhaustion after attempting to navigate through the wire and being pushed back by Texas National Guard soldiers. In another incident, a teenager suffered a broken leg while maneuvering through the water near the wire and had to be carried by his father.
LULAC demands a thorough and immediate federal investigation and by the Maverick County District Attorney into the reported incidents and calls for accountability for any individuals responsible for endangering the lives of innocent asylum seekers. The organization stands firmly in its commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of the Latino community and urges all Americans to pursue justice and compassion for those seeking refuge.
These incidents, outlined in the trooper's email, have come to light as Governor Greg Abbott has intensified efforts under Operation Lone Star to physically impede migrants from entering the country. The aggressive tactics employed, particularly in Eagle Pass, have escalated tensions between state and federal officials and garnered increased scrutiny from humanitarian groups, who argue that the state's actions put asylum seekers in grave danger.
###