Dear LULAC Members,

Recent actions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are raising serious concerns about civil rights violations targeting Latino citizens. These events are part of a troubling pattern of voter suppression and intimidation in Texas, where Latinos represent 40.2% of the population—the state's largest ethnic group.

On August 20, 2024, Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old LULAC member with 35 years of dedicated service, experienced a harrowing raid on her home by armed officers executing a search warrant authorized by Paxton. Despite her full cooperation, Lidia was subjected to over three hours of interrogation, humiliating treatment, and the seizure of her personal belongings, including voter registration materials. Several other civically engaged LULAC members have faced similar intimidation. This coordinated effort to suppress and scare civic-minded Latinos has understandably caused fear and led some to withdraw from community involvement.

Paxton’s June 2024 investigation into Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and Sister Norma Pimentel further reveals a politically motivated effort to paint Latino communities as a threat. These actions are part of a broader trend of voter suppression that disproportionately affects Latinos.

The most significant of these measures is Senate Bill 1 (SB1), signed into law in September 2021. This law, which restricts voting access and grants more power to partisan poll watchers, has resulted in over 1 million voters being removed from the rolls, disproportionately affecting communities of color.

LULAC will not stand idly by. We're launching a "Know Your Rights" campaign to empower individuals to protect themselves when law enforcement comes knocking and to recognize and combat voter suppression and intimidation. We’ve already filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice and are working with several civil rights organizations and congressional partners to push for a thorough investigation. Additionally, we’ve assembled a team of pro bono attorneys who are ready to defend the voting rights of Latino voters across the country.

While Texas is currently the epicenter, we remain vigilant to ensure that voting rights are not infringed upon through intimidation or interference in any state. If you notice similar issues in your state, please reach out to us at [email protected].

LULAC is committed to standing strong in the face of these challenges. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission.

Sincerely,

Roman Palomares
LULAC National President

For more information, please review the articles below:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raids Latino Democrats' homes, including those of LULAC members
CBS News
August 27, 2024
www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-raids-latino-democrats-lulac-homes/

Texas AG raids homes of Latino civil rights group members, setting up a voting rights showdown
NBC News
Aug 26, 2024
www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/house-raids-texas-democrats-ken-paxton-voting-rights-lulac-rcna168216

Texas removes 1 million people from voter rolls
The Hill
August 27, 2024
www.thehill.com/homenews/4849711-texas-voter-roll-purge-million/

Latino Civil Rights Group Demands Inquiry Into Texas Voter Fraud Raids
New York Times
Aug 25, 2024
www.nytimes.com/2024/08/25/us/texas-latinos-democrats-raids-paxton.html

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About League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest Latino civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Latinos and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 535 Councils and 145,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services, and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.