AUSTIN, Texas - The nonpartisan Mexican American Legislative Caucus has sent a formal letter to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan requesting a legislative investigation into Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star (OLS).
The investigation should include whistleblower accounts of mistreatment of migrants by the Texas Department of Public Safety, MALC says.
“We have numerous questions regarding these actions and the measures of accountability for violating immigrant’s human and constitutional rights,” the MALC letter states.
“One in four Texas families are mixed-status; when migrants are under attack, Texas families are under attack. As leaders of this State, it is our responsibility to ensure we have a safe community for all; these actions do not reflect our State.”
MALC the oldest and largest Latino legislative caucus in the country. It is made up of Mexican American members of the Texas House of Representatives, or House members that represent districts with large Latino communities.
Twenty-seven MALC members have signed the letter, including three from the Rio Grande Valley. The three were state Reps. Armando “Mando” Martinez, D-Weslaco, Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Erin Gomez, D-Brownsville. All three are members of MALC. All three are pictured above.
Five state Reps from the Valley did not sign the letter. The eight are: Ryan Guillen, R-Rio Grande City, Sergio Muñoz, D-Mission, Oscar Longoria, D-La Joya, R.D. ‘Bobby’ Guerra, D-McAllen, and Janie Lopez, R-San Benito. All eight are members of MALC.
Whether the eight that did not sign the letter support Gov. Abbott’s use of concertina razor wire and buoys in the middle of the Rio Grande is not known. It may become known when the state lawmakers appear at one of two 88th Texas Legislative Update luncheons set to be held soon. One is being held in Brownsville, hosted by Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, and the other in McAllen, hosted by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Mesquite, chairs MALC.
Neave Criado said: “As more disturbing reports come out of Eagle Pass by more DPS Troopers, Members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus are requesting a full legislative investigation to ensure proper oversight of our state agencies. Dehumanizing refugees by refusing life-saving water in extreme temperatures, placing barbed wire which trapped a pregnant mother having a miscarriage, and pushing children into the Rio Grande do not reflect our Texas values. The truth is, migrant crossings have been down seventy percent and needless aggressive tactics are exploiting vulnerable migrants. We, as MALC, will not stand for this and will work tirelessly to erase this stain from our State’s history.”
After the letter was sent, four MALC leaders met with the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Colonel Steve McCraw, and other DPS officials yesterday in Weslaco.
The leaders comprised Chair Neave Criado, Martinez, whose district includes Weslaco and who is secretary of the group, Vice Chair Christina Morales, D-Houston, and Deputy Whip Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson.
“As Texas legislators, we have a duty to ensure that our highest ideals are reflected across our state, from the laws we craft to the oversight of state agencies acting in conflict with our values,” the four MALC leaders stated.
“We shared with DPS Director Col. McCraw our grave concerns regarding the whistleblower reports by multiple DPS Troopers, and are grateful that these Troopers had the courage to come forward regarding the treatment of migrants–especially pregnant moms and children. We look forward to ongoing conversations with DPS Director Col. McCraw regarding the issues we raised about Operation Lone Star.”
Neave Criado, Martinez, Morales and Ramos added: “We still have more questions that must be answered, which is why we continue to demand a legislative investigation into Operation Lone Star and the aggressive tactics at the border in order to erase this stain from our history.”
Here is the MALC letter to House Speaker Phelan:
