Texas Catholic Voice July 31, 2023

The leaked email sent by a Texas State trooper stationed in Eagle Pass to command staff detailing the inhumane treatment of migrants and other tragedies occurring at the border is horrifying and heartbreaking.

The Texas bishops released a statement expressing their profound dismay, stating “these reports stir our hearts again for the plight of our sisters and brothers who are seeking a better life.”  

In the email the trooper writes, “We need to operate it [Operation Lone Star] correctly in the eyes of God. We need to recognize that these are people who are made in the image of God and need to be treated as such.” We echo this appeal and applaud the trooper’s courage and the reasonable and humane remedies he or she proposes at the end of the email.  

The Church in Texas will continue to work with border patrol and local communities to provide humanitarian aid. We pray the trooper’s words are heeded, and for government leaders and law enforcement to recognize not only the humanity of migrants but their own humanity as well when confronting the crisis at the border.  

Special Session Advocacy

The second special session on property tax cuts adjourned sine die on July 13 after the House and Senate finally hammered out a deal to give Texas landowners the biggest property tax cut in the state’s history, including raising the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000.  

We are now anticipating a third special session this fall on parental choice, likely after the conclusion of the attorney general’s impeachment trial which starts on Sept. 5. In preparation, we are continuing our work with Texans for Parental Choice in Education (TPCE) and the Texas Private Schools Association (TPSA) in working with parents and schools in our dioceses to share their support for the program. Stay tuned for more information.