LULAC National LULAC President Palomares LTR - Request For USDOJ Investigation - TX AG PAXTON (26aug24)

League of United Latin American Citizens
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
August 26, 2024
Roman Palomares
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER The Honorable Kristen Clarke

Juan Proaño
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
NATIONAL OFFICERS
Domingo Garcia 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Immediate Past President
Summer J. Gonzales Washington, D.C. 20530
Treasurer
Idalyd Granados
Youth President Re: Latino Voter Intimidation Efforts in the State of Texas – Request for Department of Justice
Ana Coca
VP for Youth Investigation of the Actions of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Elida Martinez
VP for Young Adults
Ana Valenzuela Assistant Attorney General Clarke,
VP for Elderly
Lupe Torres
VP for Women
Jose Barrera
I am writing on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation’s oldest and
VP for Farwest largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, LULAC has long championed the rights of
Rev. Emma Lozano
VP for Midwest Latinos across the United States, advocating for equality, justice, and full participation in the democratic
Ramery De Luna
VP for Northeast
process. With 535 councils and 264,000 members nationwide, our mission has always been to ensure that
Euler Torres Latino voices are heard and respected.
VP for Northwest
Mari Corugedo
VP for Southeast
Ray Mancera
I am reaching out to express our deep concern regarding the recent actions of Texas Attorney General Ken
VP for Southwest Paxton, which we believe constitute a serious violation of the civil rights of Latino citizens in Texas.
These actions echo a troubling history of voter suppression and intimidation that has long targeted both
STATE DIRECTORS
Maria Duran
Black and Latino communities, particularly in states like Texas, where demographic changes have
Arizona increasingly shifted the political landscape.
Rey Hernandez
Arkansas
Jacob Sandoval
California
The Case of Lydia Martinez
Sonny Subia
Colorado
Anny Cordero On August 20, 2024, Lydia Martinez, an 87-year-old grandmother, great-grandmother, and a dedicated
Connecticut
Gilda Goldental-Stoecker
LULAC member of 35 years, was subjected to a distressing raid on her home. At 6:00 AM, Lydia was
District of Columbia awoken by 7-8 armed officers executing a search warrant authorized by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Asia Clermont
Florida Despite Lydia’s full cooperation, she was interrogated for over three hours, during which her home was
Cecilia Garcia
Illinois thoroughly searched, her personal belongings were seized, and she was subjected to humiliating treatment,
Ed Moreno including being forced to stand outside her home in her nightgown, in full view of her neighbors.
Iowa
Madaí Rivera
Kansas
Grace Garcia Lydia’s devices, personal calendar, and voter registration materials were confiscated, and she was coerced
Massachusetts into providing her passwords under the threat of delayed return of her property. This unwarranted
Elsa Ramon Aranda
Nebraska intrusion has left Lydia and her family deeply traumatized, with her family now urging her to cease her
Malú Elizondo
Nevada civic engagement work out of fear for her safety.
Suechet Rodriguez
New Jersey
Fred Baca Historical Context of Voter Suppression
New Mexico
Sylvia Mata
New York The Latino community has a long history of facing voter suppression, a legacy that dates back to the early
Alicia Pagan
Ohio 20th century. In Texas, tactics such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and outright intimidation were used to
Cecilia Giron Mendoza
Oregon disenfranchise Latino voters. The infamous "white primary" system excluded Latino and Black citizens
Carlos Fajardo from participating in primary elections, which were effectively the only meaningful elections in the one-
Puerto Rico
Gabriel Rosales party South. Despite being U.S. citizens, many Latinos were systematically denied the right to vote
Texas
Belia Paz through these discriminatory practices.
Utah
Christopher Concepcion
Virginia In more recent history, efforts to suppress the Latino vote have evolved but remain pervasive. Voter ID
Gabriel Portugal
Washington laws, purging of voter rolls, and aggressive gerrymandering have disproportionately affected Latino
Jaime Alvarado
Wisconsin
communities. These modern tactics are often justified under the guise of preventing voter fraud, yet they
(v.29)
1776 Eye Street, NW, Suite 400 • Washington, DC 20006 • (202) 833-6130 • FAX (202) 833-6135 • www.LULAC.org
League of United Latin American Citizens
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke
August 26, 2024
Page 2
primarily serve to disenfranchise Latino voters, particularly in states like Texas, where Latinos now comprise 39.78% of
the population.
This history of voter suppression is not unique to Latinos; it intersects with the experiences of African Americans, who
have faced similar and often more violent forms of disenfranchisement. From Jim Crow laws to the violent suppression
of the Civil Rights Movement, Black voters have long been targeted by those seeking to maintain political power through
racial exclusion. The experiences of Black and Latino voters in the United States are deeply intertwined, with both
communities historically subjected to efforts to silence their voices and deny them their rights.
Intersection of Voter Intimidation
The targeting of Lydia Martinez is part of a broader pattern of voter intimidation that affects both Latino and Black
communities. Attorney General Paxton’s actions are not isolated incidents but are part of a concerted effort to suppress
the growing political power of minority communities in Texas. These actions are reminiscent of past attempts to
intimidate and disenfranchise voters through fear and coercion. The fact that Lydia Martinez, a law-abiding citizen and
respected community leader, was treated as a criminal for her voter registration efforts is a clear indicator that these
tactics are designed to create a chilling effect on civic participation.
Attorney General Paxton has a documented history of targeting Latino organizations, as evidenced by his recent actions
against Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and Annunciation House. These actions appear to be motivated not
by legitimate legal concerns but by a desire to suppress the Latino vote, which is becoming increasingly influential in
Texas and across the nation.
Request for Investigation
In light of these disturbing events, we urgently request that the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
initiate a thorough investigation into Attorney General Paxton’s actions. We believe that his conduct constitutes a direct
attempt to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and harassment, in violation of the Voting Rights Act and other
federal civil rights laws.
The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy, and LULAC stands firm in its commitment to defending that right for
all Americans, regardless of race or ethnicity. We respectfully urge the Department of Justice to take immediate action to
protect the civil rights of Latino voters in Texas and to hold accountable those who seek to undermine our democratic
process.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to your response and are available to provide any
additional information or support needed for this investigation.
Sincerely,
Roman Palomares Juan Proaño

National President CEO
cc: Ms. Gloria Leal LULAC General Counsel
1776 Eye Street, NW, Suite 400 • Washington, DC 20006 • (202) 833-6130 • FAX (202) 833-6135 • www.LULAC.org

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League of United Latin American Citizens

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER The Honorable Kristen Clarke

Intersection of Voter Intimidation

Request for Investigation

Roman Palomares Juan Proaño

cc: Ms. Gloria Leal LULAC General Counsel

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