LULAC warns Texas Gov. Gregg Abbotts' immigration rhetoric could spark violence

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The United States' oldest Latino civil rights organization is warning that comments made by Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott in his protracted feud with the federal government over immigration could encourage extremists to commit violence and mass murder.

The League of United Latin American Citizens issued a national alert, only its second in its nearly 100-year history, on Monday, urging members in Texas to be on alert for "armed out-of-state extremists with a hate agenda" amid plans of a convoy to descend upon the U.S. southern border on Saturday.

The civil rights group warned that "false and inciteful political rhetoric" made by the state's Republican governor could incite violence, including mass murder, such as in August 2019 when a gunman, targeting Hispanic people, opened fire at an El Paso Walmart, killing 23 people and injuring nearly two dozen others.

"Hate speech is being used yet again to ratchet up anger and hatred that are putting Hispanic Texans, law enforcement, military service members and innocent civilians in the crosshairs," Domingo Garcia, LULAC national president, said in the warning.

The announcement comes amid the latest round of litigation between Abbott and the federal government over immigration.

During the Biden administration, Abbott has employed a series of controversial moves retaliating against the White House's immigration policies, including bussing migrants from Texas to Democratic-led states, deploying a water barrier of buoys along the Rio Grande River and taking control of Eagle Pass city park along the U.S. southern border.

Last week, the Supreme Court handed Abbott a defeat when it ruled the Biden administration may remove the miles of razor wire Texas has installed along its border since the governor launched his anti-immigration Operation Lone Star in March 2021.

The Biden administration has been removing the barriers, saying they hinder its ability to manage the border, which prompted Texas to file its lawsuit against the federal government in October.

LULAC described Abbott's policies as "stunts" that encourage "lawlessness" and fail to fix the country's immigration system.

"The Supreme Court ruled that erecting deadly barriers is illegal, and it is also inhumane to let women, children and families die because of them," Garcia said.

Meanwhile, a group that calls itself the "Take Our Border Back Convoy" plans to descend upon Eagle Pass on Saturday, seemingly in support of Abbott.

"'We The People' are uniting to take our border back," the organization said on its website.

Garcia accused Abbott and his supporters of creating "a media circus" surrounding the border issue to achieve political gains and raise money.

"LULAC abhorrently condemns hate speech, actions and lies that hurt human life, especially those coming to the United States to survive deplorable conditions and seek refuge," Garcia said.

"Let's see immigration for the good it provides our country rather than calling it a threat to divide and weaken us as a nation."