Texas Gov. Greg Abbott slammed for calling shooting victims 'illegal immigrants'

NBC News ^ | 05-01-2023 | By Suzanne Gamboa

[Responsibility2nd]

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called the victims of a mass shooting in Texas over the weekend "illegal immigrants," drawing searing backlash for "dehumanizing" them.

Abbott announced on his personal and state Twitter accounts a $50,000 reward for the gunman who used an AR-15 rifle to kill five neighbors execution-style, including a 9-year-old boy, in Cleveland, Texas, on Friday night. The gunman was still at large as of Monday afternoon.

Abbott, a Republican, said the reward was for a fugitive "who is in the country illegally and killed five illegal immigrants."

The post drew immediate backlash on social media from critics and a "community note" that adds context from readers who said the original tweet is misleading. The note said that at least one of the victims was a legal resident of the U.S., and added their names.

~snip~

“It’s below the dignity of the governor to impugn the victims of a mass shooting" about their legal status," said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "All of the victims are Latino and so is the suspected gunman. This is a tragedy that involves another serial killing and a weapon for war that was used in the killing. That’s the issue, not the legal status of the victims."

~snip~~

Maritza Wong, a volunteer with Texas Moms Demand Action, a group that advocates for stricter gun laws, said: “The first statement out of Greg Abbott’s mouth is to turn this tragedy into a dog whistle. Meanwhile our governor refuses to make the most basic changes to Texas gun laws that would make our families safer and every day he does so he is abdicating public safety.”

[1Old Pro]

Yep, illegal border crosser is fine too.

[libh8er]

He’s going to make a run for the border..unless the cops find him first.

[beethovenfan]

That’s what they are.

[1Old Pro]

He’s going to make a run for the border..unless the cops find him first.

With an open border it will be easy enough to cross into Mexico, most likely already there.

[NorthMountain]

League of United Latin American Citizens

The perp and the victims aren't American Citizens. The dunderhead leader of this organization has no stake in the matter.

[BigFreakinToad]

an inconvenient truth, so deal with it. What happened is sad, but truth is truth

[Misplaced Texan]

I think Wet Backs would be very upset being compared to these clowns that now cross the border. The Wet Backs of an earlier time were primarily men who came to this country to work and send money home. They also went home annually to spend time with their families. Most probably lived in sub par conditions and did not get all the federal benefits bestowed upon today’s aliens.

Aliens is the better operative now, I believe.

[semimojo]

…the suspect is a product of Biden's Catch and Release policy in that the suspect has been deported FIVE TIMES previously.

If he was released how was he deported?

[Bounced2X]

a weapon for war that was used in the killing. That’s the issue, not the legal status of the victims." If they weren't here illegally they might still be alive. If the illegal that shot the had been deported he wouldn't have shot them. A gun did it nuff said. /s

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Oropesa is now identifying as an Hispanic female and is being aided and abetted by the transgender community which claims she’s being discriminated against for being a murderer.

[TokarevM57]

...por favor...! he already bee in MEH-hee-co....!!

[ytrebil]

Maritza Wong, a volunteer with Texas Moms Demand Action, a group that advocates for stricter gun laws, said: “The first statement out of Greg Abbott’s mouth is to turn this tragedy into a dog whistle.

Well, that "dog whistle" sure got Maritza's attention.

[Tupelo]

What do they want? At least he did not call them “Wetbacks’ as I would have.

[ActresponsiblyinVA]

Biden’s illegal guests.

[freedom1st]

So what. They are illegal. The people of Texas should know.

[ro_dreaming]

If they were in the country illegally, then they are by definition illegal immigrants. An immigrant is a human, so, he isn’t dehumanizing anyone.

Freakin’ liberals ruin everything.

[Freedom4US]

Don’t be fooled.

These are the same people who write the articles calling this guy a “Texas man”, yet turn around in the same breath and call decent, peaceable Americans “Nazis” and “White Supremacists”.

I know exactly who is doing the dehumanizing in this equation.

[Pearfect]

The truth sure hurts LIBERALS.

[Freedom4US]

No, by definition they are Illegal Aliens.

Foreign nationals, here in this country illegally. Aliens. Not naturalized. Not immigrants. These are legal terms of art, as it were.

---

Words mean things. They don’t want to admit this. Know what else they buggered up? See also: Unlawful Enemy Combatants. Hint: Terrorists on American soil have no right to a jury trial or anything of the sort. Think about all the nonsense our country goes through every time one of these nutbars goes all ‘splodey. All those guys cooling their heels in federal prison. Millions of dollars spent on attorneys and court costs.

The rules of war state combatants must wear a uniform, carry a weapon openly, among other things. Those captured can simply be hanged. Seems fair to me.

[packrat35]

Yes it is, they are bringing their culture here to the US. Far too many Americans ae getting killed because of it.