Full statement from Texas For All Coalition’s Executive Director Sissi Yado on recent reports of inhumane treatment of migrants at the Texas border: 

“Texas For All firmly believes that every individual, regardless of race, class, or immigration status, possesses inherent worth. The recent revelations of the distressing treatment of migrants at the Texas border are deeply alarming and stand in stark contrast to our fundamental values of dignity, respect, and fairness.

These individuals are not just migrants; they are human beings. They are mothers, fathers, children, and families, all of whom are deserving of compassion and care. They are people of worth, full stop. 

We call on Governor Greg Abbott to immediately review and revise the policies under Operation Lone Star. We must ensure that our actions, as a state and as a people, reflect our commitment to treating all individuals with the dignity and respect they deserve.

The reported directives given to Texas troopers to force migrants back into the perilous currents of the Rio Grande River, and to withhold water amidst soaring temperatures, are not merely inhumane, they represent a gross violation of basic human rights. The accounts of a 4-year-old girl fainting in the heat, a man sustaining a severe laceration, a teenager with a broken leg, and a woman enduring a miscarriage while trapped in wire are heart-wrenching and unacceptable.

In Texas, we understand the value of community, of looking out for our neighbors, and of standing up for what’s right. Let’s ensure our actions on the border mirror these values.”