Outrage has formed in Texas after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered raids on various people attached to a longstanding Latino civil rights group, as well as people affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Now, those affected by these raids are demanding answers — and an investigation into why these raids occurred in the first place. Paxon, meanwhile, has stated that this all has to do with a voter fraud inquiry.
Election Volunteers and Senior Citizens Targeted by Texas
Various homes were raided in the last few days by officers working with Paxton. Texas has said that these raids revolve around an ongoing voter fraud investigation they’ve been working on.
However, many have called Paxton and Texas out on this claim, as many of those who have had their homes raided and their property confiscated are simply election volunteers and senior citizens in the community.
Confiscating Cellphones and Documents
Those affected by these raids have explained that they had their cellphones and laptops taken away, as well as various documents that officers stated dealt with voter fraud.
Many of these people have further said that they have no idea why this is happening and were completely shocked when the police knocked on their door.
A Civil Rights Group Targeted
One of the main targets of these raids was the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), one of the oldest Latino civil rights organizations in the United States.
LULAC has since come out to say that many of their volunteers and leaders had their homes raided and their property confiscated by Paxton’s police. Those targeted also included Democratic leaders in the community.
A Suppression of Latino Voters?
Those within this community — which lies in South Texas near San Antonio — have become incredibly alarmed over these raids.
LULAC’s Texas director, Gabriel Rosales, has said that these raids were all designed to try to suppress Latino voters in this upcoming election.
Outrage Grows
As more details come out about this raid — especially the experiences of the raiding of homes of seniors in the 70s and 80s — outrage has grown in Texas.
Paxton, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, has been placed under a spotlight as many have questioned whether he truly has evidence of the widespread voter fraud he says he does. Paxton has long insinuated that undocumented immigrants are voting in elections, with no proof.
Other Texas Officials State There Is No Voter Fraud
These raids come as various other Texas officials have come out to explain that they’ve seen no evidence of voter fraud to the degree of election interference.
Christina Adkins, the election director for Texas’ secretary of state’s office, said, “We have not seen any unusual activity.”
Democratic Candidates Also Targeted
LULAC wasn’t the only one targeted by Paxton’s investigation. Cecilia Castellano, a Democratic Party candidate running for a state House seat, also had her home raided and her cell phone taken away.
Castellano said her experience was “very frightening”, adding, “This is all political.” She is not sure why she was targeted at all.
Seniors in the Community Remain Frightened
Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old retired educator, was also targeted by one of these raids. Martinez had her home raided before 6 a.m. Martinez has been a member of LULAC for 35 years. She often helps senior citizens understand how they can fill out voter registration cards.
Martinez’s story, as well as others, has caused many seniors in the community to reach out to the organization, as they’re very scared that investigators are singling them out and trying to intimidate them.
Demanding an Investigation
LULAC has officially asked the Department of Justice to open up an investigation into Paxton, the attorney general’s office, and all involved in allowing these raids to occur.
LULAC has maintained its innocence throughout this entire process and believes that they’ve been targeted simply because they are a Latino civil rights group that works with the Democratic Party.
A Civil Rights Complaint
Now, LULAC is filing a civil rights complaint against Paxton and Texas with the Department of Justice.
Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez has also announced that he is requesting an investigation by the State Senate into these sudden raids.
Paxton Says He’s Fighting Voter Fraud
Though many of those affected by these raids have been utterly confused about why this has happened, as they’ve claimed they’re completely innocent, Paxton has said that he’s fighting voter fraud.
“Secure elections are the cornerstone of our Republic,” Paxton said. “We were glad to assist when the district attorney referred this case to my office for investigation. We are completely committed to protecting the security of the ballot box and the integrity of every legal vote. This means ensuring accountability for anyone committing election crimes.”
