Defunding the Left: League of United Latin American Citizens

FedUp PAC StaffDefunding the Left:  League of United Latin American Citizens

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) describes itself as dedicated to advancing “the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health, and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States.” Note that it does not say the legal Hispanic population.

Not surprisingly, LULAC has supported amnesty for illegal aliens (“comprehensive immigration reform” in liberal-speak) while claiming that the failure to grant amnesty and open the border would be “bad for national security, public safety, and the economy.” The organization even complained that amnesty legislation introduced by liberals was insufficient because it would exclude those who did not speak English, were guilty of crimes, and could not afford to pay fees, fines and back taxes. They opposed increased security along the porous Mexican border, claiming that it was “more secure than it has ever been.”

LULAC President Roger Rocha boasts of LULAC’s influence on the amnesty issue, especially on Democrats in Congress. According to him, LULAC’s successful opposition to an amnesty bill that did not go far enough “demonstrates the power of LULAC’s grassroots efforts. . . . We will continue to fight for comprehensive immigration reform that supports family unification, respects the human rights of immigrant workers, and provides a pathway to citizenship for the millions of immigrants already making positive contributions to this country.”

And your tax dollars help provide the “power” of which Rocha boasts. LULAC received $232,000 from the U.S. taxpayer during the Obama years, and the LULAC Institute pulled in even more -- $838,303. The LULAC Institute might deny a connection between the two (their annual IRS returns do not acknowledge that they are “related”) but they share office space, a website, and staff (including the same executive director). Their 2014 IRS forms (the most recent available) show them with the same president and seven of eleven Institute board members were also on the LULAC board. The Institute’s IRS form openly states that it was “created to further LULAC National operations . . . .”

Should more than $1 million of our tax dollars have gone to LULAC? Is that the best way to spend our hard-earned dollars when we are suffering from a huge deficit and an ever-growing Federal debt?

And do not think that LULAC confines its liberal politics to the amnesty issue. They have put their influence behind the American Left on many others.

They praised ObamaCare, describing it as legislation that would help make health care “a civil right” – i.e. something provided by taxpayers regardless of the character and actions of the person. In LULAC’s eyes, no one is unworthy of becoming a burden on the taxpayer.

As soon as Barack Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court seat left by the death of Antonin Scalia, LULAC rushed to praise Garland as “eminently qualified”. They claimed that failing to vote on Garland would be against “the interests of the American people.”

Calling homosexual marriage one of “the most important issues for Latinos,” LULAC passed a resolution of support in 2012. They proceeded to hold public rallies on the issue. When the Supreme Court announced that it had invented a new Constitutional right to homosexual marriage, LULAC praised the decision.

No good liberal organization could fail to demand strong action against gun owners. LULAC fell into step by calling for banning some weapons and making it more difficult to buy even those that remained legal.

Establishment Republicans in Congress have done nothing to prevent our tax dollars from going to LULAC and similar left-wing groups. Is there any hope?

It may well be that President Trump will decide to do something about this scandal. LULAC denounced Trump as soon as he began his candidacy. They later claimed that Trump rejected American values, described him as the candidate of “hate”, and claimed he intended to establish a “police state.”

Nor has LULAC moderated its stance since Trump was elected. Trump’s nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) as Attorney General quickly brought out a smear by LULAC, which called Sessions “racist and anti-immigrant.” According to LULAC, a Justice Department with Sessions at its head would become “the dispenser of terror and racial intolerance . . . .”

President Trump has no reason to show favoritism to LULAC. Perhaps his administration will finally bring common sense to how our tax dollars are spent.