Press Releases
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
November 26, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus First Vice-Chair Joaquin Castro Statement on the Border Situation
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: “For generations, Republican and Democratic Administration have maintained an orderly, humane asylum process that respects international law while protecting the sovereignty and security of the United States. Yet, the Trump Administration has … Continue Reading
November 26, 2018
Castro Op-Ed in the Nikkei Asian Review: “U.S.-China – Compete, Not Cheat”
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, authored an op-ed in the Nikkei Asian Review today on why the United States must compete, not cheat, with China. A preview of the op-ed can be found below, with a full version available here. “By initiating a trade war that has affected hundreds of billions of dollars in trade, and … Continue Reading
November 20, 2018
Castro Statement on Possibility of Adding Venezuela to State Sponsors of Terrorism List
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: "We've seen Nicolás Maduro undermine Venezuelan democracy and create a regional economic and humanitarian catastrophe. It's clear the United States needs to hold him and other senior Venezuelan leaders responsible. But designating a county as a state … Continue Reading
November 15, 2018
Castro Statement on New Sanctions in Response to Murder of Jamal Khashoggi
WASHINGTON—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: “The sanctions announced today against 17 Saudi nationals, including close aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a good first step in bringing justice in the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. We cannot continue giving the … Continue Reading
November 14, 2018
Castro Welcomes Passage of Bipartisan U.S.-Australia Space Cooperation Resolution
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 a bipartisan resolution he authored with Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) that affirms United States-Australia space exploration, research and utilization cooperation (H.Res.1052). Specifically, the resolution recognizes the importance of Australia’s new space … Continue Reading
November 12, 2018
Castro Statement on Veterans Day
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: “On Veterans Day, and every day, we must honor the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in uniform, and remember the generations before them who defended and protected our ideals and freedoms. They continue to be models of patriotism and … Continue Reading
November 09, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus First Vice-Chair Joaquin Castro Condemns Trump Administration’s Action Limiting Access to Asylum at the U.S. Border
WASHINGTON — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s interim final rule and presidential proclamation seeking to limit asylum claims for migrants at the US-Mexico border: “Seeking asylum in our country is not illegal. It is written into our nation’s immigration laws, and protected under international law, to ensure those who have a credible fear of persecution … Continue Reading
November 07, 2018
Castro Statement on Firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions
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: “We must have answers immediately into why Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned today and whether or not there has been any nefarious dealings that would qualify as obstruction of justice by the President. There has never been such a contentious … Continue Reading
November 07, 2018
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Opposes Proposed Changes to Flores Settlement Agreement
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), opposed the proposed changes to regulation relating to the apprehension, processing, care, custody, and release of unaccompanied minors. In a letter sent on behalf of the CHC, Congressman Castro warned that proposed changes to the Flores Settlement Agreement would allow the Trump Administration to indefinitely incarcerate immigrant families. The letter also urged Debbie Seguin, … Continue Reading
November 01, 2018
Castro Releases Podcast Episode on Election Security Days Before Midterms
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today released a Diplomatic Cable episode on the importance of securing our elections and policy prescriptions for countering authoritarian interference in our democracy. This episode features the bipartisan German Marshall Fund’s Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly, co-directors of the … Continue Reading
October 30, 2018
Castro Statement on Trump’s Plan to Change Amendment Granting Citizenship at Birth
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: “The President does not have the authority to unilaterally change our Constitution. The 14th Amendment makes clear that those born or naturalized in the United States are citizens, and the President’s proposal to change that amendment would bypass the … Continue Reading
October 30, 2018
Castro Statement on Trump’s Decision to Deploy Additional Troops to Southern Border
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: “As part of a continuous effort by this Administration to demonize immigrants, the President has now announced that he will deploy additional military to the Southern border in response to migrants fleeing Central America. Given this group of migrants … Continue Reading
October 23, 2018
Castro Remarks on Early Voting Issues in Bexar County
- As Delivered - SAN ANTONIO—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 remarks at a press conference with Texas State Senator José Menéndez (District 26) outside early voting site Las Palmas Library to shed light on early voting issues in Bexar County: “I represent District 20 in the United States House of … Continue Reading
October 12, 2018
Castro Releases Special Edition Podcast Episode on Incoherent Trump Foreign Policy
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, released a special edition joint Diplomatic Cable episode with Harvard University’s Future of Diplomacy Project on the direction of foreign policy under President Trump. The episode features former Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nick Burns, where they cover issues spanning from … Continue Reading