Palomares: There’s a deliberate strategy afoot to suppress and marginalize minority communities

Recent actions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have sparked serious concerns about civil rights violations targeting Latino citizens. Paxton has been aggressively targeting and harassing Latino-led organizations, such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), as well as individual citizens. This isn’t just alarming—it’s a clear violation of their civil rights, reflecting a troubling pattern of voter suppression and intimidation.

In Texas, where Latinos represent 40.2% of the population—the largest ethnic group in the state—these actions are particularly worrisome. As a majority-minority state, with Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans together constituting 58% of the population, these raids are having a chilling effect on civic participation within these communities. This underscores a broader, more concerning strategy aimed at suppressing minority voices.

For context on this recent matter, on August 20, 2024, Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old LULAC member with 35 years of dedicated service, went through an experience that no one should ever face. Her home was raided by officers executing a warrant authorized by Paxton. Despite her full cooperation, Lidia was subjected to hours of intense interrogation, and her personal belongings, including voter registration materials, were seized. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident—four other LULAC members have been similarly targeted, fostering a climate of fear that chills community engagement.

This pattern goes beyond isolated incidents, including the recent removal of over one million voters from Texas voter rolls in August 2024, disproportionately affecting Latino, African American, and Asian American citizens. These actions reveal a deliberate strategy to suppress and marginalize minority communities. Similar challenges are being faced in other states like Georgia, Florida, and Arizona, where voter suppression efforts are also targeting these groups.

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 contact us at info@lulac.org.

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

Editior’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Roman Palomares, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The column first appeared on LULAC’s website. Palomares can be reached by email via: Recent actions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have sparked serious concerns about civil rights violations targeting Latino citizens. Paxton has been aggressively targeting and harassing Latino-led organizations, such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), as well as individual citizens. This isn’t just alarming—it’s a clear violation of their civil rights, reflecting a troubling pattern of voter suppression and intimidation.

In Texas, where Latinos represent 40.2% of the population—the largest ethnic group in the state—these actions are particularly worrisome. As a majority-minority state, with Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans together constituting 58% of the population, these raids are having a chilling effect on civic participation within these communities. This underscores a broader, more concerning strategy aimed at suppressing minority voices.

For context on this recent matter, on August 20, 2024, Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old LULAC member with 35 years of dedicated service, went through an experience that no one should ever face. Her home was raided by officers executing a warrant authorized by Paxton. Despite her full cooperation, Lidia was subjected to hours of intense interrogation, and her personal belongings, including voter registration materials, were seized. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident—four other LULAC members have been similarly targeted, fostering a climate of fear that chills community engagement.

This pattern goes beyond isolated incidents, including the recent removal of over one million voters from Texas voter rolls in August 2024, disproportionately affecting Latino, African American, and Asian American citizens. These actions reveal a deliberate strategy to suppress and marginalize minority communities. Similar challenges are being faced in other states like Georgia, Florida, and Arizona, where voter suppression efforts are also targeting these groups.

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 contact us at info@lulac.org.

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

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Roman Palomares, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization. The column first appeared on the LULAC website. LULAC aims to empower Hispanic Americans and build strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with 525 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services, and advocacy seek to address important issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. Palomares can be reached by email via: davidcruz@lulac.org.

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