Press Releases
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Elect Castro Statement on Death of 8-Year-Old in Border Patrol Custody
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following statement: “I’m deeply saddened by the death of 8-year-old Felipe Alonzo-Gomez last night in U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) custody and offer my condolences to his family. While the CBP notified Congress within 24 hours as mandated by law, we must ensure that we treat migrants and asylum-seekers with human dignity and provide the necessary medical care to … Continue Reading
December 20, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Elect Castro Statement on DHS Decision to Make Migrants Wait in Mexico While Processing Asylum Claims
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following statement: “This is the single biggest assault to date by this Administration on the world’s most vulnerable populations coming to America—legally—and in search of a better life. The decision to make migrants wait in Mexico while processing asylum claims only continues this Administration’s cruel policies to stem legal immigration to our nation. Further, the mechanics … Continue Reading
December 20, 2018
Castro Welcomes $1,170,081 to the Daughters of Charity Services for Expanding Access to Education
SAN ANTONIO—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today announces the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding the Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio with a Head Start grant to support a Head Start and Early Head Start program on the Southside of San Antonio. “We know education is the surest path to … Continue Reading
December 20, 2018
Castro Welcomes $160,000 National Endowment for the Humanities Grants to UTSA, Our Lady of the Lake University
SAN ANTONIO—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today welcomed two awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for humanities projects focused on the creation of a digital archive of oral histories of women in the military and the role of public works in shaping municipal power in Spain led by professors at the University … Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
Members of Congress: Systemic Failures Contributed to Jakelin Caal’s Death
LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO—Today, the Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led a delegation to Antelope Wells Port of Entry and Lordsburg Border Patrol Station to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin in U.S. CBP custody. Following their investigation of Jakelin’s journey, the Members briefed the press on how these stations are equipped to protect the health and safety of those seeking refuge at our … Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
Members of Congress Find Systemic Failures Contributed to Jakelin Caal’s Death, Transcript of Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Elect Castro Q&A with Press
—As Delivered—Click Here for Video— LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO—Today, the Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Joaquin Castro (TX-20) led a delegation to the Antelope Wells Port of Entry and Lordsburg Border Patrol Station to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Following their investigation of Jakelin’s journey, the Members briefed the press on how these holding … Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Elect Castro Remarks Following Investigation of Jakelin Caal’s Death
—As Delivered—Click Here for Video— LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following remarks after visiting the Antelope Wells Port of Entry and the Lordsburg Border Patrol Station where Jakelin Caal entered the U.S. and was held in Customs and Border Protection Custody prior to her tragic death on December 8th: “…by having CBP agents positioned at ports of entry, and metering or disallowing certain … Continue Reading
December 14, 2018
NM, TX Lawmakers Demand Answers on Death of 7-Year-Old Migrant Child in CBP Custody
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) wrote to leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) demanding an immediate investigation into the tragic death of a 7-year-old girl from Guatemala who died on December 8, 2018, after being taken into custody with her father … Continue Reading
December 14, 2018
Senior House Democrats Send Letter to DHS Inspector General Demanding Answers in Tragedy of 7-Year-Old Girl Who Died in Customs and Border Protection Custody
WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, led a letter signed by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland … Continue Reading
December 13, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Elect Castro Statement on Reports of Child Death in Border Patrol Custody
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, this evening released the following statement: “I am devastated by reports of a seven-year-old girl who had been taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection who died due to dehydration and exhaustion. I will be asking the Inspector General and Congress to conduct a full investigation into the conditions and circumstances that led to her death. “We can and must do better as a … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman-Elect and Luján Question Trump Administration's Actions In Removing Latino Engagement Document Before Open Enrollment Period
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman-Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus joined Congressman Ben Ray Luján (NM-03) in sending a letter this week demanding an explanation from the Administration on reports that they had removed a document titled “Marketplace Outreach: Best Practices for Outreach to Latino Communities” from its Health Insurance Marketplace website. The removed PDF was a slide presentation intended as a training resource for assisters. It focused on the … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Elect Castro Statement on Trump’s Shutdown Remarks
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman-Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), today made the following statement in response the President’s shutdown remarks: “Americans don’t want a border wall, nor do they want to see our government shutdown. We’ve offered bipartisan compromises that could pass both chambers. Instead of pursuing partisan promises, the President should stop undermining our country’s ability to perform vital functions and agree to the proposals … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Opposes Public Charge Rule
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman-Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and 25 CHC members submitted a comment opposing the proposed rulemaking changes to the “public charge” rule. In a letter to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Policy and Strategy Chief Samantha Deshommes, the Members highlighted that redefining public charge would harm immigrant families, pit survival of families against the hope for … Continue Reading
December 07, 2018
Castro, Cummings, Thompson, Nadler Ask DHS OIG to Investigate Toddler Death Shortly After Release From a Texas Detention Center
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus; Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee; Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee; and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, today called on the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector … Continue Reading
December 01, 2018
Castro Statement on Passing of George H.W. Bush
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman Elect of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement: “The world lost a true statesman last night with the passing of former President George Herbert Walker Bush. President Bush personified class, importance of family values, and above all a long commitment to public service on behalf of Texas and our … Continue Reading
November 30, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Selects Leadership Team for the 116th Congress, Rep. Joaquin Castro Elected as Chairman
WASHINGTON—Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) selected its leadership team for the 116th Congress. Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) will chair the CHC. Joining Congressman Castro on the leadership team will be Congressman Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) as First Vice Chair, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) as Second Vice Chair, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) as whip, and Congresswoman-Elect Veronica Escobar (TX-16) as Freshman Representative. “After two years of the … Continue Reading
November 30, 2018
Castro Statement on Reports of Continued Family Separation
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump Administration is still separating families at the border: “The President’s zero-tolerance immigration policy cruelly tore children from their parents and ran contrary to our American values. I am deeply … Continue Reading
November 29, 2018
Castro Statement on Cohen Guilty Plea
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today released the following statement: “Today’s guilty plea from Michael Cohen for lying to Congress about Moscow Trump Tower shows that his plea arrangement struck in August has indeed turned into cooperation. This news comes on top of Paul Manafort, former Trump Campaign Chairman, … Continue Reading
November 29, 2018
Castro Statement on Reports that Tornillo Workers Lack Background Checks
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following statement following press reports that more than 2,000 workers at Tornillo have not received background checks: “I am deeply disturbed by reports that nearly 2,000 workers on staff at Tornillo have not received federally mandated FBI fingerprint background … Continue Reading
November 29, 2018
Castro Welcomes Senate Committee Passage of Bill to Protect Foreign Service Officers
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today welcomed the passage of the Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act (H.R. 4989) through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “It’s critical we protect our frontline civilians who serve in the most dangerous corners of our world. This includes … Continue Reading