Congressional Hispanic Caucus Response to President Trump’s Comments on El Paso

SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, released the following statement in response to President Trump's comments on the shooting in El Paso, Texas:

"We mourn the victims and their loved ones in El Paso and Dayton, grieve with our communities, and stand with our colleagues who represent the cities devastated by these acts of terrorism. As all Americans, we were glad to see the President address these horrific tragedies at the White House this morning. We are hopeful that he will press Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to move bipartisan legislation to combat gun violence that has languished in the United States Senate for months. We look forward to working with Senate leadership and the President to do anything we can to accomplish these reforms.

"However, this does not make up for the years of attacks by President Trump on Hispanic Americans and our immigrant communities. During the President's address, he blamed the internet, news media, mental health, and video games, among others, for the conditions that led to these events. Unfortunately, he did not take responsibility for the xenophobic rhetoric that he has frequently used to demonize and dehumanize Hispanic Americans and immigrants over the past 4 years. The language in the terrorist's manifesto is eerily similar to the language that President Trump has used at campaign rallies, press conferences, and in paid Facebook ads.

"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is asking the President to first commit to no longer using the language of ‘invasion' to describe our Hispanic communities, immigrants, or any refugees to our nation. Second, we demand that Mitch McConnell and the Senate work to pass bipartisan legislation to combat gun violence in our nation. Third, we ask the Trump Administration to acknowledge the threat of white supremacy and domestic terrorism and dedicate robust federal resources to combat this state of emergency head-on. Now is the time to act."

# # #

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.