Letters to the Editor | Week of April 21-26, 2025

Not facing constituents

Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz is avoiding the people of Texas’ 15th Congressional District. On March 22, local group Mothers for Democracy RGV held a peaceful protest asking for a simple in-person town hall. They wanted answers, but De La Cruz sent a spokesperson who claimed she was being “attacked.” In reality, voters are demanding explanations for her repeated votes against working families, veterans and seniors in one of the country’s poorest districts.

Her votes speak for themselves. De La Cruz’s record in Congress shows a clear pattern of siding with party politics and wealthy donors over the needs of South Texans:

– Veterans’ healthcare: She voted against the bipartisan PACT Act, denying health care to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits — impacting many Latino veterans in South Texas.

– Broadband access: She voted to eliminate subsidies that help low-income families access broadband for school, telehealth and jobs. – Social Security & Medicare: De La Cruz supports her party’s plan to cut Social Security benefits, raise the retirement age and reduce cost-of-living adjustments, harming seniors and people with disabilities.

– Social Security offices: She backs a budget that would close vital Social Security offices, forcing residents — many without reliable transportation — to wait longer for help. – School meals: De La Cruz supports cuts to school meal programs that feed low-income children, risking millions of meals nationwide. – Tax breaks for the rich: Instead of fighting for working families, she supports $600 billion in tax giveaways for billionaires while weakening the IRS’ ability to pursue wealthy tax cheats. Recently, as her party pushed for tariffs on Mexican goods. De La Cruz stayed silent. These tariffs would raise prices on food, cars and other goods essential to South Texans while threatening thousands of local jobs tied to cross-border trade.

De La Cruz has repeatedly refused to face her constituents. She skipped debates with opponents in both 2020 and 2024 and continues to avoid town halls.

South Texans deserve better. De La Cruz shows up for photo-ops but disappears when it’s time to fight for her district. Instead of standing with her community, she backs extreme policies and tax breaks for billionaires. South Texas needs a leader who listens, shows up, and puts the people first.

Fabiola Escalon

McAllen

Editor’s note: We welcome your letters and commentary. Submissions must include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters of 200 words or fewer will be given preference. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters may be mailed to P.O Box 3267, McAllen, Texas 78502-3267, or emailed to letters@myRGV.com.

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