Houston Mayor John Whitmire has been on the receiving end of criticism from Hispanic and Latino residents, elected officials and local organizations for comments he made in early May about people living in the Gulfton community. After a groundbreaking event for Houston METRO’s Westheimer improvement project, Whitmire said in an interview...
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has been on the receiving end of criticism from Hispanic and Latino residents, elected officials and local organizations for comments he made in early May about people living in the Gulfton community.
“They’re largely undocumented immigrants. They just want basic services,” Whitmire noted. “They don’t want to be part of the Galleria. You think they’re going to be welcome in the Galleria?” “We are supporting the economic growth of Houston. We pay our taxes, even with no status at all. I think we deserve better improvements in our area.” Hernandez added. “We rely on transportation because some don’t have cars. So, the comment saying that we only need basic things, that’s outrageous.”
The letter stated that Whitmire’s comments “reveal a shocking level of ignorance and prejudice.” It went on to say Whitmire’s assumption that Gulfton residents are “largely undocumented” and uninterested in amenities such as the Galleria was “an egregious misrepresentation that smacks of xenophobia.”
Most of Gulfton's population is Hispanic or Latino. According to a 2019 survey included in a report by the city of Houston's Planning and Development Department, the most spoken language in the neighborhood is Spanish. However, residents speak over 50 languages. Some are immigrants from other regions, such as Africa and Southeast Asia.
Lira thought the broader context was the mayor’s concerns about what he referred to as potentially wasting money on the transit system's expansion. However, Lira noted that regardless of whether Whitmire's comments were misconstrued, they could be harmful to those in a community used to being"picked on like a piñata."
Gulfton Undocumented Immigrants Metro Houston
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Community leaders call out Houston Mayor John Whitmire for ‘offensive’ remarks about Gulfton neighborhoodCommunity leaders are calling out Houston Mayor John Whitmire for his recent “offensive” remarks about the Gulfton area and are demanding an apology, according to a news release.
Read more »
Houston Mayor John Whitmire signs disaster declaration after devastating storms hit the Houston areaThe mayor has just signed a disaster declaration for the City of Houston following the devastating storms that hit the area. This will allow for additional resources and support for storm recovery.
Read more »
Houston Mayor Whitmire confirms at least four dead in powerful stormHouston mayor John Whitmire said at least four people died after a powerful storm caused power outages, flooding and gas leaks.
Read more »
City of Houston proposed budget for FY '25 announced by Mayor John WhitmireMayor John Whitmire recently delivered a hard statement about the City of Houston's financial condition...calling the city 'BROKE'.
Read more »
Houston Mayor John Whitmire unveils city budget proposal, warns ‘tough decisions’ loomMayor John Whitmire said property taxes will not go up under his $6.7 billion proposal.
Read more »
Houston Mayor John Whitmire proposes $3 Billion budget with no tax hikeHouston Mayor proposes a $3 billion budget with no tax increase, funding for firefighters, and audits to find city spending efficiencies.
Read more »