The League of United Latin American Citizens is the largest and oldest Hispanic membership organization in the country.
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LULAC

LULAC

Letter To
Texas Governor Greg Abbott

The following letter was sent to Texas Governor Greg Abbott today:

July 2, 2020

The Honorable Greg Abbott
Governor of Texas
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711

VIA FACSIMILE - 512-463-1849 (fax)

Governor Abbott,

While COVID19 cases have exploded in Texas, the deaths of Hispanics keep growing. Coronavirus is killing Latinos all over the Lone Star State, and that’s why we are contacting you today. The League of United Latin American Citizens, better known as LULAC is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the country. I have been the president for the past three years.

We are here to save lives, and today we are announcing the LULAC Statewide Public Safety Alert for Hispanics in Texas. According to the US Census Bureau, there are 11.4 million Latinos in our state. Texas Health officials say the tragedy now is Hispanics are disproportionately getting sick and dying from COVID-19. In some cases, families see multiple loved ones get infected or die.

Here are the facts we have gathered:

  • Dallas County - More than 60% of positive COVID19 cases are Hispanics.
  • Harris County - More than 60% of positive COVID19 cases are Hispanics.
  • Bexar County - More than 73% positive Covid19 cases are Hispanic.
  • Meatpacking workers, mostly Hispanic, have seen a higher rate of positive cases in Amarillo and Cactus, TX.

LULAC is declaring a Statewide Public Health Emergency and strongly urge you, Governor Abbott, to take the following actions to slow the spread of the coronavirus and save lives all over Texas, especially among the Hispanic Community:

  1. Issue an Executive Order immediately making it mandatory statewide that Texans wear a face covering.
  2. Implement $500 fines for those who violate the mask order. Local public health workers, EMS, and fire department employees can enforce the penalties, because police already have a lot of work on their hands.
  3. Require government agencies and business owners to take the temperature of any person entering a public building, office, restaurant, or other social establishments.
  4. Call for a Special Emergency Legislative Session and vote to tap rainy day funds for medical care and vital services that target areas hard hit by the virus.
  5. Provide funding for public education via online learning for Hispanic families. Funds would also help Hispanic families who need laptops or online tools for learning purposes.
  6. Provide emergency state funds for small businesses to stay open with grants and payroll assistance.

Governor, COVID 19 is not an issue about Republicans or Democrats. The disease is a human issue. Stop politicizing the safety of Texans and do what needs to be done. Save the lives of men, women, and children who are desperately looking to you for leadership and answers.

Will your legacy be one of a Governor who made the right decisions during difficult times, or will you be remembered as the Governor who played politics with the lives of Texans? When you ran for Governor, you said all Texans mattered. Now is the time to prove it to the Hispanic Community, as we are the most at risk in this pandemic.

Governor, one avoidable death is too much and thousands more can be prevented .You know what needs to be done. Let’s save Texans together. We urge you to take action now before we see more Texans die.

Sincerely,

Domingo Garcia
LULAC National President

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.