La Unión del Pueblo Entero responds to Supreme Court decision which allows voter suppression law to move forward in Texas

San Juan, TX — LUPE, represented by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund), presented its case in the Fall of 2023 to challenge the illegal and unconstitutional TX SB1. This law makes voting and voter assistance more difficult, especially for residents with disabilities, language barriers, or limited voter knowledge.

Although LUPE won its lawsuit at trial, the State appealed the ruling, and the appeals court upheld SB1. Consequently, LUPE asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court’s decision.. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear LUPE’s case. TX SB1 sets restrictions on voting and voting assistance for Texas voters, including that voters who need assistance to fill out their mail ballots cannot receive that help from people who work for community organizations like LUPE.

Historically, Texas Latino voters and other disenfranchised members of the community have dealt with repeated attacks against their civic participation. We’ve fought against restrictive voting laws and racially-motivated gerrymandering. Participating in our democracy should not be difficult. Voting should be an easy process in which all citizens should be capable and excited to participate in, without the fear of having their voices silenced. In simplest terms, this is an assault on democracy.

Tania Chavez Camacho, President & Executive Director for LUPE, said, “This decision is a setback for all voters in Texas, which until recently protected voters, including citizens with disabilities and voters of limited English language proficiency. Many voters in the RGV, especially those of older age, rely on trained staff for assistance.

It’s incredibly disturbing to see how the State of Texas continues to make voting more and more difficult. This adds to recent voting suppression attacks from the Trump administration. They wish to create fear and confusion by creating barriers like these, so that voters become discouraged from turning out to the polls. These attacks on civil and voting rights are blatant attacks on our democracy.

We must stay informed, organize, and get ready to vote this fall so that we elect those who will ensure every American citizen can cast a ballot. And although the Supreme Court declined to hear our case under the Voting Rights Act, we will not stop fighting for voters across Texas and the rest of the country.”