Texas Governor Greg Abbott is facing widespread condemnation after referring to the five victims of a deadly mass shooting as “illegal immigrants”. The shooting took place in Cleveland, Texas, on Friday.
All five victims were allegedly shot and killed by their neighbor, identified as Francisco Oropresa, after he was asked to stop firing his AR-15 rifle in his backyard.
Wilson Garcia, whose son and wife were among the victims killed, told police that he went over to Oropesa to stop firing his gun on Friday evening because it was keeping his baby awake.
Oropesa then walked into the neighbor’s home and began shooting, according to authorities. As of Sunday night, Oropesa remained at large.
After failing to address the massacre for two days, Abbot finally released a statement on Sunday, announcing a $50,000 reward for the suspected gunman.
In the first line, the suspect was called a “top 10 fugitive who is in the country illegally and killed five illegal immigrants in a shooting.”
Later in the statement, Abbott said, “I continue working with state and local officials to ensure they have all available resources to respond to this horrific crime. I thank the men and women in law enforcement who are tirelessly working to ensure this criminal is caught and brought to justice.”
Abbott also tweeted a link to the statement as well as the line in which he called the victims illegal immigrants.
His statement was met with furious backlash from people who felt including the immigration status of the victims was unnecessary and racist.
“This is despicable,” Actor George Takei wrote. “I would have thought bringing up the immigration status of the innocent victims of this senseless violence would be beneath even you. But I was wrong.”
“You can just say ‘people.’ They were people,” Michael Kagan, the director of the University of Las Vegas Immigration Clinic tweeted.
“Five human beings lost their lives and Greg Abbott insists on labeling them ‘illegal immigrants,’” responded Julián Castro, the former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
“Would it be any different if they were all born in the USA??” another Twitter user wrote.
The five victims, Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, Diana Velázquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, José Jonathan Cásarez, 18, and Daniel Enrique Laso, 9, were all from Honduras according to reports.
The husband of Ms. Velázquez tweeted a photo of her permanent resident card as proof that she was not in the country illegally.
Announcing a $50K reward for a @TxDPS top 10 fugitive who is in the country illegally and killed five illegal immigrants Friday night.
I also directed #OperationLoneStar to be on the lookout for the criminal and any attempts to flee the country.https://t.co/SLJcBRPrmO pic.twitter.com/2RWrSDkRBa
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) April 30, 2023
This is despicable. I would have thought bringing up the immigration status of the innocent victims of this senseless violence would be beneath even you. But I was wrong.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 30, 2023
Good statement, except…. pic.twitter.com/i4AcMNwQn5
— Harvey at Skinsurrection🌊🏳️🌈 👨🏿🏫✊🏽 (@Skinsurrection) May 1, 2023
Would it be any different if they were all born in the USA??
— Don (@DonWaun8) April 30, 2023
Way to victim shame. But then again this is the same guy that can’t wait to pardon a convicted killer
— Mike (@rebellion__scum) May 1, 2023
People. The word is people.
— PepperSaltina🇺🇦🌻⚖️⚓️ (@shadowboxerbaby) April 30, 2023
That's how you refer to a dead child and his family?
— LOCK HIM UP! (@Berford99) April 30, 2023
Five human beings lost their lives and Greg Abbott insists on labeling them “illegal immigrants.” https://t.co/x5OO5Vd68a
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) April 30, 2023
