GARCIA JOINED CASTRO, DOGGETT, AND GREEN DURING VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE ON RACIALLY MOTIVATED WEST TEXAS MIGRANT SHOOTING

Houston, Texas – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) joined Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), and Congressman Al Green (TX-09) to address the racially motivated migrant shooting in Hudspeth County. One migrant was murdered, and one migrant was severely injured by gunshots while drinking water at the hands of brothers Mike and Mark Sheppard. You can watch the full virtual press conference here.

"The Department of Justice (DOJ) must thoroughly investigate the racially motivated West Texas shooting of migrants at the hands of brothers Mike and Mark Sheppard," said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. "The extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric perpetuated by MAGA Republicans, like Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, has incited these inhumane hate crimes, and it must stop. They must condemn white nationalism before more innocent lives are lost, and the DOJ must conduct a full investigation."

Congressman JoaquinCastro added, "This was a hate crime against brown-skinned immigrants that was inspired by the invasion rhetoric of Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, and others. There was no way for the killers to know who their victims were or what their legal status was. The division and fear that Greg Abbott and his fellow bigots have created has made Texas a more dangerous place for all Hispanics. National leaders on both sides of the aisle need to condemn the rhetoric that inspired this attack, and Texas authorities must swiftly prosecute this crime as murder."

Congressman Lloyd Doggett continued, "Greg Abbott, Donald Trump, and all politicians who build an atmosphere of hate and spur anti-immigrant hysteria create a climate conducive to violence, which can lead to truly evil acts. Now is the time for Governor Abbott, for the first time, to demonstrate some statesmanship and set a new tone that respects the humanity of those who seek refuge in America and that rejects the destructive lie of white nationalism."

Congressman Al Green added, "If what has been reported by news outlets concerning the shooting of immigrants, including one death, this week near El Paso is true and was committed with intentionality, then this is without a reasonable doubt a hate crime. While this crime was not carried out by top Texas GOP elected officials, they have certainly contributed to it by fanning the incitive flames of hatred and racism. Their prejudiced rhetoric and efforts, including branding migrants as ‘illegals' as well as busing them out of the State of Texas, have stimulated the root cause of this crime."

Congressman Al Green continued, "It is the root cause because it sends a message imbued with bigotry to all people of ill will leading them to erroneously believe they may take unlawful liberties with the lives of human beings of color who have done no harm and are simply seeking safety. The legal status of these human beings of color appears not to have been known to the assailants at the time they were shot. Thus, the perpetrators acted on assumptions about the immigrants based purely on their appearance. Given this circumstance, coupled with what happened at Uvalde, Governor Greg Abbott needs to call a special session of the legislature immediately to address the issue of gun violence."

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Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional District. She serves on the House Judiciary, Financial Services, and Armed Services Committees.