The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), one of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations, is planning to seek federal legal action after Texas officials executed searches and seizures related to alleged illegal ballot harvesting ahead of the 2024 election. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office’s Election Integrity unit had executed searches in three South Texas counties as part of an ongoing probe into fraud and ballot harvesting allegations. LULAC alleged that the searches constituted “raids” and wrongly targeted elderly longtime volunteers engaged in lawful ballot collection. LULAC National President Roman Palomares said that all those targeted were Latino or minority individuals, and he is hoping to meet with Justice Department officials in Washington to discuss the civil rights implications of the searches.
Palomares claimed that the individuals targeted in the warrant searches were regular people, including certified voter registrants, who were unfairly targeted by law enforcement. He argued that the searches were unjustifiable and aimed at suppressing the vote, particularly in the Uvalde-area counties where the operations took place. Palomares suggested that there may be a political interest in flipping the 80th State House district from Democrat to Republican, as Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans see it as a potential seat to win in November. However, LULAC volunteers are nonpartisan and are focused on registering voters to allow them to exercise their rights.
Texas Attorney General Paxton, who did not comment on the situation, emphasized the importance of secure elections and protecting the integrity of every legal vote. While Palomares acknowledged the need for secure elections, he criticized the way the searches were conducted, calling them intimidation tactics. He highlighted the case of an 80-year-old woman and former LULAC board member who had her electronics confiscated and was left embarrassed after being stuck outside her house in her nightgown during the dawn raid. Palomares stated that these individuals were targeted based on allegations without proper justification.
The LULAC organization has sent a letter to the Justice Department outlining their concerns and seeking assistance in addressing the civil rights violations they believe occurred during the searches and seizures in Texas. Palomares expressed his commitment to defending his members and ensuring that their rights are protected. The situation has raised questions about potential voter suppression tactics and the targeting of minority individuals in the lead-up to the 2024 election. It remains to be seen how the Justice Department will respond to LULAC’s request for federal legal action and intervention in the matter. The ongoing probe and allegations of misconduct surrounding the searches highlight the challenges and controversies surrounding election integrity efforts in Texas and across the country.
