AUSTIN, TX – Following the second fatal shooting of a community member by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, Jolt Action Executive Director Jackie Bastard issued the following statement:
“Once again, we are witnessing the lethal reality of a federal force that operates as if it is above the law. In broad daylight and captured on film, CBP has taken another life in Minneapolis. This isn’t a fluke or a clerical error; it is a brutal pattern of behavior. No amount of political maneuvering or rhetoric from the opposition can mask the truth: this was a senseless killing, an echo of the violence that took Renee Good from us. This took place just days after the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos inside a Texas immigration detention facility which was officially classified as a homicide.
“This is the inevitable result when we allow a rogue, unaccountable police force to roam our streets funded by millions of our taxpayer money.
“Our leaders in Washington cannot look away. Last week, we saw a disappointing lack of backbone in the House, where several Democrats failed their constituents by voting to further bankroll this aggression. Now the Senate will vote on the DHS appropriations bill next week. Any leader who votes to hand more taxpayer dollars to DHS is directly subsidizing the next tragedy. Senator Schumer and the Democratic caucus must hold the line and refuse to provide a single cent more to agencies that prioritize terror over public safety. This is a fundamental test of our democracy: will we protect our communities or will we fund the forces that hunt them?
“The Latino community and all immigrant families have lived under the shadow of this state-sponsored fear for far too long. What is happening in Minneapolis is reminiscent of the anti-immigrant environment Texans have been living with also. We stand in fierce solidarity with the protesters, the local businesses on strike, and every neighbor looking out for one another from El Paso to Minneapolis.
“Jolt Action will not stop organizing until these agencies are reined in and our immigrant communities are treated with the dignity and safety they deserve.”
ABOUT Jolt Action
Jolt Action is a non-profit organization that increases the civic participation of Latinos in Texas to build a stronger democracy and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. Learn more at jolttx.org