ROWNSVILLE, Texas - State Rep. Erin Elizabeth Gámez, a Brownsville-based attorney, says she will keep fighting for justice for juveniles that fall foul of the law.
“I could spend the entire afternoon talking to you about, as you already know, my very sincere commitment to fighting for juvenile justice,” Gámez told Ron Whitlock Reports.
“It is 2025 and juveniles still are not entitled to any type of a bond. They're entitled to detention hearings. Adults are entitled, constitutionally, to a bond. You could get an aggravated felon out (of jail) faster on a bond, than you could get a child out who was picked up with a vape pen.”
Under current law, children, after they received their first review hearing, within 48 hours of being picked up, can be held for up to ten days without a hearing, Gámez explained.
“Ten business days without a hearing until their case is reviewed again. That is fundamentally unconscionable, in my mind, when we understand the evolution of psychology and the trauma of being incarcerated.”
Gámez cited statistics showing that a child is almost 40 percent less likely to graduate from high school if they spend one night in a juvenile detention facility.
“It is horrific. You want to talk about a psychological evaluation? Evaluate a child when he comes out in ten days - if you want a problem, you're going to find one. It is horrific.”
Gámez says she has held hearings every year on this issue.
“I have argued with every probation department from here to the Panhandle and darn near Oklahoma on this issue, fighting for children again.”
Gámez added: “I know that when you invest in these children, we're investing in the future of Texas, of the United States. The ripple effects of trauma… I'm investing in society. So this is extremely important to me.”
Ron Whitlock Reports interviewed Gámez on a wide range of issues, including her appointment to the Committee on The July 2025 Flooding Events. She encouraged Harlingen residents impacted by the March 2025 floods to testify before the committee. She also said she would like to see the committee host a field hearing in the Rio Grande Valley.
Gámez also spoke about her success in securing funding for Gladys Porter Zoo, a desalination project in Brownsville, and the City of Brownsville’s plans to revitalize downtown.
Editor's Note: Here is the interview:
Editor's Note: This is the first in a three-part series focusing on the legislative work of state Rep. Erin Elizabeth Gámez.
