LULAC Councils Gather at Laredo International Airport to Deliver Message to Donald Trump - LULAC Supports Veterans Not Bigots!
July 24, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, under the blistering Texas heat, LULAC members protested Donald Trump's visit to Laredo, Texas. Trump's visit to the border town was in response to an invitation from the National Border Patrol Council, Local 2455. Although the union retracted the invitation, Trump proceeded with the visit and continued to perpetuate lies regarding Latinos in an attempt to gain political support.
Although Trump continues to allege that border towns like Laredo are unsafe due to undocumented immigrants, the facts show otherwise. The CQ Press publishes the ranking of the safest cities based on the data from the F.B.I. report, "Crime in the United States 2012." According to CQ Press' City Crime Rate Rankings for 2013, Laredo enjoys a ranking significantly below the national average for crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. In contrast, Trump's home town of New York City ranks above the national average for the same crimes.
"Donald Trump's visit to Laredo was nothing more than an opportunity for the presidential candidate to pander to a disconnected base that chooses to believe Trump's false characterizations of immigrants," said LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha, Jr. "Today, LULAC showed solidarity with the immigrant community and fought back against racist stereotypes that disparage undocumented people."
Last month, Donald Trump referred to Latino immigrants as drug dealers, rapists, and murderers. The disparaging remarks made by Trump about immigrants have since been denounced by civil rights organizations, politicians, and corporations, many of which have severed their business ties with Trump.