(Washington)—The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) applauds Reps. Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Greg Casar (TX-35) for introducing an amendment to the FY 2024 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that would prohibit federal funding for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s unconstitutional and racist scheme, Operation Lone Star (OLS), that wastes federal and state money to target migrants for arrest, jail, and deportation.
The amendment would put an end to the billions of dollars in federal funds Abbott has misused since OLS was created in March 2021.
“The ILRC strongly encourages members of Congress to support the inclusion of this amendment in the bill. The ILRC has been demanding the Biden administration cut off all federal resources to aid OLS,” said Policy Attorney and Strategist Priscilla Olivarez. “Abbott’s use of more than a billion dollars in federal COVID-19 aid for OLS, along with nearly $5.1 billion in state funds, is not only a gross misuse of resources, it speaks to the amount of money Abbott is willing to waste to fund this racist and hateful policy that not only harms migrants but all Texans.”
“We have seen firsthand and heard from residents who have been greatly harmed by the dangers of the OLS scheme,” Olivarez added. “Billions of dollars in state funds for OLS could be much better spent in Texas on schools, better infrastructure, and to shore up our electric grid. We applaud Congressman Castro and Congressman Casar for taking steps to protect future funds from being wasted at the expense of our Texas communities.”
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities.