SCOOP: LULAC Deletes Anti-Immigrant Social Media Post
SCOOP. On Feb. 4, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) posted to social media, then quickly deleted, what appears to be a remarkably anti-immigrant statement by President Domingo Garcia. We obtained a copy of the post which you can see here —
UM, WUT. “We demand immediate border closure to halt illegal activities! It’s about stopping human trafficking, drugs, and unauthorized refugee entries. LULAC supports legal migration, aiding genuine refugees, and assisting source nations. Latino communities must be part of decisions. Congress, let’s work together for meaningful immigration reform now!”
WHY IT MATTERS. Founded in 1929, LULAC has been at the forefront of migrant rights advocacy for decades. The organization claims a membership of 115,000 and over 700 local councils, and has been involved in several landmark legal cases and continues to be an influential voice for the Hispanic community. The social media quote post attributed to Garcia appears to be a dramatic departure from LULAC’s long-standing brand as a friend to migrants.
LULAC RESPONSE. “We have no comment on that image,” said a LULAC spokesperson. Asked if the post was related to LULAC’s efforts to book President Biden for the organization’s national convention in June, the same spokesperson responded by saying, “LULAC does not engage in quid pro quo advocacy.”
COMMON PRACTICE. In fact, “quid pro quo advocacy” (i.e. the practice of NGOs trading support for political or policy priorities in exchange for booking political headliners) is common practice among the events-driven advocacy industry in Washington, D.C., where LULAC is based. This is especially true during presidential campaign cycles when many NGOs claiming gatekeeper status with key voting blocs (Latinos in LULAC’s case) often pander to national candidates for high-profile lip service opportunities (like speaking at a national convention).
CONVENTION. LULAC’s convention is June 26 to 29 in Las Vegas, according to their website. Nevada is a key swing state for both Biden and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.
DOMINGO WHO? A former trial lawyer and Texas state representative, Garcia has long been regarded as a pro-migrant voice in the Latino community. As president of LULAC, Garcia receives no salary for his work for the organization, which has a negative net income of $773,644, according to the most recent financial disclosure available in ProPublica’s non-profit tracker.
MIRA PUES. By now, everyone except Trumpers seems to know that the vast majority of drug trafficking happens at ports of entry and nearly all are smuggled by US citizens. We also know that closing the border is an impossibility due to international trade with Mexico — now the US’s largest trading partner. Amazingly, LULAC seems to ignore that crossing the border and seeking asylum is a form of “legal migration” according to 8 U.S. Code § 1158.
LINGERING QUESTIONS. Who does it benefit to repeat the same rhetoric we are constantly subjected to by people on the far-right who have suddenly become immigration “experts” on social media? What good could come from making inflammatory statements that ignore facts and data?
WACK. Language like that attributed to Garcia in this social media post has only proven to bolster the “invasion” rhetoric that is being perpetuated by far-right politicians like House Speaker Mike Johnson and pundits like Steve Bannon. We have seen time and again how it only serves to rile up armed extremists like the Take Our Border Back convoy. That’s the last thing Latinos need right now.