El Pueblo Dice: The RGV reject's Abbott!

down with abbott's family separations plan!

The Rio Grande Valley unanimously rejects Abbott!

Published June 30, 2021

Welcome to El Pueblo Dice, a weekly breakdown of the most popular immigration headlines about the Rio Grande Valley.

El Pueblo Dice tracks what officials in power are doing to protect immigrants and demilitarize the Texas/Mexico border. We’ll shine a light on the successes and failures of all elected officials— from our city commissioners, to the Texas legislature, all the way to the White House.

This week, El Pueblo Dice... the RGV unanimously rejects Abbott's anti-immigrant hate!

VIctory: all rgv county jugdes say no to abbott's plan

All four county judges in the Rio Grande Valley have officially said NO to Governor Abbott's anti-immigrant hate. Because we organized, they unanimously refused to be part of his political games. All four county judges looked at the facts, and they agree with us: there is no border "crisis."

This victory is thanks to the more than 1,200 people who signed our petition and showed up to testify in commissioners court. WE, the community, made this happen.

Abbott's greed and quest for power (at our expense)

The unified rejection of Abbott begs the question: Why are Abbott and Trump even coming to the RGV, if not for their own greed and quest for power?

Border communities are no strangers to the governor's inhumane politics. But Abbott's latest declarations and partnership with Trump are a dangerous escalation that will only lead to more harm against us and those seeking safety at our country's doorstep.

Abbott's desperate stunt does not represent our values. It's shameful that the governor would bring Fox News and Trump to spew dangerous lies about who we are.

Here's the truth: We are a strong and welcoming community. Border residents work together every day to keep our families and future safe and free. Helping families, children, and people feeling violence and seeking protection is NOT a crisis!

El Pueblo Dice is created by La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE). For press or general inquiries, contact johnmichael@lupenet.org and danim@lupenet.org.

Subscribe for updates!

Welcome to El Pueblo Dice, a weekly breakdown of the most popular immigration headlines about the Rio Grande Valley.

El Pueblo Dice tracks what officials in power are doing to protect immigrants and demilitarize the Texas/Mexico border. We’ll shine a light on the successes and failures of all elected officials— from our city commissioners, to the Texas legislature, all the way to the White House.

This week, El Pueblo Dice... down with Abbott’s family separations plan!

Governor Abbott’s Family Separations Plan

Trump may be out of the White House, but with Abbott at the Texas Capitol, many cruel Trump-era policies remain.

Abbott declared border communities a “disaster" and said that he will finish building Trump’s border wall. He also started clearing space in jails to prepare for his own Family Separations Plan. The governor claims Texas will start “arresting everybody” crossing the border, leaving advocates and officials on high-alert. The last time this level of criminalizing occurred was under the Trump administration, which led to the family separations tragedy of 2018. Abbott claims families will not be separated, but that's the same lie Trump spewed while we witnessed the truth.

It’s a transparent attempt by Gov. Abbott to distract the nation from his failures of leadership. Meanwhile, millions of Texans are at perpetual risk of losing electricity due to our failing power grid.

Will Judge Cortez sponsor another border tragedy?

On one side, we have people working together to welcome those seeking protection at our country’s doorstep. On the other side, we have Gov. Abbott replicating cruel Trump-era policies.

Which side will RGV county judges take?

Abbott’s Family Separations plan hinges on the cooperation of local counties. He needs counties to lend their jail space when he arrests parents and takes away their children.

That is why he is pushing hard for counties like Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron, and Willacy to support him. He is dangling the prospect of extra resources if they join him in his Family Separations Plan.

More than 740 people signed our petition telling Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez to derail Abbott’s plans. And last week, we went directly to commissioners court to face Judge Cortez. But now, we need all county judges in the RGV to work together to prevent another tragedy in our region.

President Biden— where are you?

This is a CODE RED level of emergency for the rights of immigrants and Texas border residents. President Biden must intervene on the anti-immigrant terror spreading from Abbott's office.

As our partners at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center said, Biden "cannot stand by quietly and allow Texas politicians to continue their attacks on immigrants, as it did by failing to challenge Judge Tipton’s ruling in the 100-day deportation moratorium lawsuit filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton.”

El Pueblo Dice is created by La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE). For press or general inquiries, contact johnmichael@lupenet.org and danim@lupenet.org.

Subscribe for updates!