LUPE responds to McAllen mayor’s comments on immigration protest

9 hours ago 22

The massive protest in downtown McAllen on Saturday has generated a number of responses from supporters and opponents.

One of those responses came the following day by McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. He posted a statement on his Facebook page in which he shared his thoughts about the growing tension in the community.

He began by praising the city of McAllen for its financial position as well as being ranked the “3rd safest city in the USA.”

Villalobos went on to discuss the raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers throughout the Rio Grande Valley — a topic that has drawn attention to local law enforcement agencies for their roles in said raids.

“Now let’s discuss immigration. Let’s think,” he said. “When was the last time you saw federal agents paving our streets, fixing our sewer lines, or drainage, or parks? I know you haven’t, and why? Because they don’t do that. Just like they don’t do that, we do not have jurisdiction of the federal issue of immigration.”

He said that the McAllen Police Department will continue to enforce the law as it has. He said that if the city of McAllen is asked to assist federal agents or hold undocumented individuals who have a detainer or a warrant, then they will do so.

“The city does not stand in the way of immigration officials in their official duties,” he said. “It’s laughable to say that McAllen is a sanctuary city.”

In response to the protests and their opponents, Villalobos called for unity in his city.

“So I ask that instead of protesting and annoying drivers, instead of spewing rhetorical hate towards immigrants, illegal, or not, come together as a country and demand that our immigration system be fixed, that our borders be secured, and our national security be strong,” he said. “Demand that labor be readily available from other countries to keep our economy strong, and our families fed. Of course, when lawfully done.”

“At the end, call me Republican, RINO, Democrat in disguise, or whatever you wanna call me, but I will continue to serve our great city to the best of my ability without regard to political affiliation, and always with McAllen’s best interest at heart,” he continued. “I stand to serve. #IMCALLEN.”

Villalobos’s Facebook post drew a response for La Union Del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, who condemned his statement for “belittling and shaming McAllen residents who took to the streets last Saturday, February 1st, to exercise their First Amendment right of freedom of speech.”

LUPE described the protest as a “powerful demonstration of solidarity and defiance” from community members who peacefully demand justice for the immigrant communities.

“For the mayor to dismiss their concerns as silly and ‘annoying’ reveals a profound ignorance of the real struggles and concerns happening in his own backyard,” the statement read. “He has a responsibility to listen to the voices of his constituents and acknowledge their right to peacefully express their views.”

“The rally turnout was a clear indication that a significant portion of the community shares these concerns—concerns that these extreme anti-immigrant policies are dangerous, not just for immigrants but for everyone, and should not be tolerated.”