My dad came across the river in Rio Grande and I have been living the American Dream because of my father.
So today is more than just a South Texas moment. It's a national moment here in South Texas, with all the eyes on our state of Texas today, and more importantly, the eyes of Texas and the country on the Latino community and the Latino voters. And they should be. Lawmakers across the country are fighting for our vote because they know that we decide their future.
Before, I go further, I want to recognize Christina Morales. Christina and I vote in different primaries. Yes, I'm a Republican and she is a Democrat. When it comes to Latino issues, there is no light between us. We stand together on the Latino issues all the way. No regrets.
Comite de 100 is a bipartisan group of over 300 Latino and Mexican American leaders across the country that refuse to stay silent while our community is under attack. We advocate for a secure border, and legal status for the immigrants who built this nation.
I am here with my fellow Tejanos, the builders, the taxpayers, las familias, who are the backbone of this country. And I want to send a clear warning to every political leader: if you don't stop the ICE raids, the mass deportations, if you don't pass work permits for long-term law-abiding immigrants and our Dreamers, you will lose. You're not going to get elected and we will not be with you.
So let's talk a little bit about dignity. Jacob Monty, the foremost attorney on immigration, who I consider a close friend, a family friend, Jacob's my attorney. But when I see something happen in our community, I hate to say, but I make Jacob do so much free work in Houston. He represents a lot of the people locked away, and Jacob stands up, puts his family, his business, and his reputation on the line. So thank you, Jacob, for what you do for our community.
Lorenzo Salgado was a law-abiding immigrant. He had been in construction for 35 years. He had three sons that went to college in Houston, and he had a way to work to support his family and to build Houston. He reminds me of my own father, who came from Mexico to work, and looking back at what happened to him, that could have been my father. That could have been your father, your brother. That could have been us that had been targeted. And the only reason he was targeted was he was Mexicano.
Yet instead of celebrating his contribution he got shot by ICE at a travel stop in Houston, Texas, based on racial profiling and suffered a senseless death. His sons could have been like our brothers and related to us.
I'm here to tell you that we should take it personal because they're targeting us, dark-skin colored. I will tell you that I won't tolerate it even in our own party. Texas has been through the congressional maps, and added five new districts. They think Latinos are going to follow suit (and vote Republican). I will tell you that that's a very poor bet. I don't think we're going to follow suit if you're mistreating our community. We know the people who spend decades building our homes, our schools, our businesses. We see the raids that disrupt our job sites and tear families apart. You cannot ask for our support while simultaneously attacking our families and targeting our workforce.
Recent polls show that 83% of bipartisan voters want a law and order solution with background checks and paying workers to receive legal permits. This message from Latino voters today is simple. Our vote is earned every day through respect and action. Treat our community with the dignity they have earned across the decades.
I want to send this message to elected officials who are not here today. If you continue to allow this administration to treat us with disrespect, to continue to target us, to sit on your hands while you watch this happen, don't be surprised that we're not with you in November. And I don't care what party you're from. You need to be with our community. I want to conclude by saying to my builder friends: let the builders build. Gracias.
Editor’s Note: The above remarks were delivered by Massey Villarreal, a leading Latino Republican in Texas and co-chairman of Comité de 100, at an event hosted recently by the South Texas Builders Association in association with the American Business Immigration Coalition. Held at the Brookhaven Event Center in Pharr, the event was titled, “Let Our Builders Build.” In his remarks, Villarreal referenced state Rep. Christina Morales of Houston, who spoke at the event, Houston-based attorney Jacob M. Monty, who also spoke at the event, and Houston-based construction worker Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot dead by ICE on July 7, 2026.
