Diaz

Working Texan. No party, no wealth, no political machine. If the clowns in either party can run for Congress, so can I. It may get worse before it gets better.

[Matthew Nielsen @matthewnielsen]

Every parent thinks their kid is the one who needs it most. They're right.

[Lauren B. Peña for Congress @pena4ATX]

@matthewnielsen Thanks for sharing 🇺🇸

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

I belong in this country just as much as you do, even if we’re judging by ancestry alone. I was born here to a white American mother whose family comes from Mississippi and a Mexican father whose family has roots in California dating back to before it became part of the United States.

My family has deep roots in American history on both sides, and I served this country as a United States Marine.

I believe in American sovereignty just as much as you do, but being American isn’t determined by whose ancestry you find acceptable.

So when you say “none of you have the right to be in America,” who exactly are you talking about?

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

I strongly disagree, for several reasons. Immigration reform should prioritize the interests and well-being of American citizens while establishing meaningful standards for those seeking citizenship.

We have Americans struggling with housing affordability, stagnant wages, homelessness, and access to basic necessities. Our government needs to address these problems before committing additional resources to expanding immigration.

I have no objection to immigrants who come here legally, contribute to society, respect our laws, and genuinely seek to become Americans. However, simply entering the United States should not automatically entitle someone to the privileges reserved for citizenship.

Citizenship comes with responsibilities, obligations, and allegiance to this country. It should be earned through a legitimate process, not treated as an automatic entitlement.

We cannot continue to overlook the needs of our existing population while expanding commitments to people seeking to settle here. Immigration policy must consider our economic capacity, available resources, and the long-term interests of the American people.

Taking care of our own citizens and maintaining a legitimate pathway to citizenship are not mutually exclusive, but the needs of Americans must remain a priority.

[Ade Ferro 🟧 🌻 @adeferr]

Any immigration reform must include a path to citizenship for those who qualify. We are not fighting for second- or third-class citizens. This fight is for all of us, with all of us, by all of us.

[Carlos Eduardo Espina @Carlos_E_Espina]

This post made a lot of “immigrant rights activist” upset, but what’s interesting is that I posed the same question on Facebook to the immigrants who would be affected by this, and after 20 hours the post has 2.3 million views, 36k likes, and almost 6k comments overwhelmingly supporting the proposed policy.

I guess it shows how out of touch a lot of activists are with the communities they pretend to care about and represent. Maybe that’s why nothing ever gets done!

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

@HALALK0 @sneako As he eats KFC

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

This is one of the most ridiculous takes I’ve seen. What exactly does someone taking earned time off to enjoy a video game have to do with inflation, housing affordability, or the job market? Absolutely nothing.

You’re conflating personal irresponsibility with people simply enjoying their lives. Someone can work hard, pay their bills, fulfill their obligations, and still criticize economic conditions.

The idea that adults should feel guilty for enjoying their free time is precisely the kind of miserable mentality that makes people treat living as nothing more than working until they die.

Personal responsibility and enjoying life aren’t mutually exclusive.

[Randy Clark @RandyClarkBBTX]

You'll never get Americans to work the trades so long as the builders hire 10 guys who share an apartment and send 1/2 their wages back to Mexico. When I say American, I mean American of any racial background.

I know tradesmen in Houston who have to travel to work where their are fewer illegal workers. They pay 100% of their rent or home payments and have families. They can't compete. Screw the lot of these people, they should need a pardon just like you did!

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

You’re correct that Texas requires electricians to be licensed, but licensing and citizenship are two different things. Even apprentices generally require licenses, and qualified noncitizens can obtain them.

I personally knew someone who had been a master electrician in his home country but was hired here as an apprentice and paid considerably less because of his undocumented status. His foreign qualifications didn’t automatically transfer to Texas, but that doesn’t change my concern about employers exploiting vulnerable workers.

And we’re not just discussing electricians. We’re discussing the construction industry as a whole.

My position is that employers should prioritize recruiting and training American workers, offering competitive wages and benefits, and complying with employment laws.

If these companies genuinely have a labor shortage, I want to see their wages, benefits, recruitment efforts, and vacancies.

Are they unable to find qualified workers, or are they struggling to attract workers at the compensation they’re offering?

I’m questioning the companies and their hiring practices, not attacking people trying to earn a living.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Ivonne, I never claimed to know your story, and you don’t know mine. Miss me with the dismissive “migajas” rhetoric. We can disagree without being condescending.

Just because you advocate for something doesn’t make your position correct. Citizenship, lawful residency, and unlawful presence are legally distinct, and knowingly violating immigration laws should carry consequences.

I recognize that people face desperate circumstances and that asylum protections exist. However, hardship alone does not entitle someone to permanent residency or American citizenship.

The United States has a responsibility to its citizens and lawful residents. Their rights, economic opportunities, and the rule of law cannot simply be disregarded in the name of compassion.

You have every right to advocate for reform, but what gives someone who knowingly violated immigration law an automatic claim to citizenship? And how is your proposal fair to immigrants who followed the legal process?

I’m willing to have a civil discussion, but that requires addressing these questions rather than dismissing them.

[Olivia Langarica @olilangarica]

Las caravanas de centro y sudamérica que entran a México para "disque llegar a EE.UU." son más un problema para los mexicanos que para los estadounidenses. Aquí tenemos a miles, mileeees de inmigrantes generando gasto a los mexicanos y pidiendo dinero en la calles. Lo que sucede en Ceuta, España con los marroquíes, en México sucede hace una década, y fue Morena que implementó una política de mayor apertura y permisos.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Diversity doesn’t equal intelligence , the more you know .

[ᗰᗩƳᖇᗩ @LePapillonBlu2]

Finally, a photo from Congress that doesn’t look like a KKK rally.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Do you actually understand why the United States conducted military strikes against Iran, or are you simply repeating what you’ve heard on social media?

Our government cited Iran’s nuclear and ballistic-missile programs, military threats, and attacks on international shipping.

Now explain how Mexico providing police escorts to a migrant caravan constitutes an equivalent national security threat.

What evidence do you have that the Mexican government is deliberately facilitating illegal entry into the United States, rather than managing people traveling through its territory?

I’m all for holding Mexico accountable for failures involving immigration, border security, and organized crime. But accountability requires evidence.

I’m asking for documented facts, official records, and verifiable actions. Not partisan headlines, social media outrage, or speculation.

If you’re advocating that we treat a neighboring country like a military adversary, you should be able to explain exactly what justifies that response and what consequences it would have for Americans.

[TwatterjailbirdPAM🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 @twatterjailbird]

@BreitbartNews We should treat them like Iran, Mexico is a national security threat.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Mariana, I take you at your word that you entered legally. But entering legally and maintaining lawful immigration status are two different matters. DACA provides deferred action and possible work authorization, not lawful immigration status or citizenship. That distinction matters in a discussion about legalization.

You also claim Mayra Flores’s family benefited from the 1986 amnesty. Can you substantiate that allegation? Even if it’s true, how does benefiting from an earlier immigration law obligate someone to support every subsequent legalization proposal?

And suggesting that she renounce her citizenship because she disagrees with your position is absurd. Her citizenship isn’t conditional on agreeing with your politics.

You challenged her understanding of immigration law. Fair enough. But that doesn’t exempt your own claims from scrutiny, particularly when you’re making allegations about someone else’s family.

[Mayra Flores @MayraFlores4TX]

Mariana, you’re not entitled to citizenship, and those who crossed illegally should never have a path to citizenship.

[Lauren B. Peña for Congress @pena4ATX]

This is the email I sent:

Dear Republican Party of Texas Leadership and Members of the State Republican Executive Committee,

I’m Lauren B. Peña. I ran as the Republican nominee in one of the toughest districts in Texas. I knocked doors, showed up, spoke to anyone who would listen, and fought for conservative principles in a place most people write off. I want to share what I noticed and what I believe will make this party stronger going forward.

First, we have to actually support the people who are willing to run. When someone steps up, especially in a difficult district, and puts in the real work, organizing, raising what they can, showing up consistently, they should not be left to figure it out alone. That means real introductions to donors, help with infrastructure, and consistent backing once they become the nominee. Candidates who are willing to do the hard part deserve the party to match that effort.

Second, we need common sense and less drama. Local clubs and organizations should regularly welcome the Republican nominee to speak. Creating unnecessary barriers or drama around a nominee engaging with their own grassroots doesn’t help anyone. Monthly or consistent meetings and open access for candidates who are actively campaigning for the people is basic and effective. It keeps everyone aligned and focused on winning instead of internal friction. Clubs should not be allowed to deny Nominees the opportunity to speak in their districts. (Yes, that happened)

Third, we need to deliberately push and support younger candidates, including those who don’t look or sound like the usual profile. Different backgrounds and styles are not a liability when someone is willing to put in the work. Lived experience, energy, and the willingness to fight in places the party has struggled can expand our reach. If a candidate is ready to do the work, showing up, communicating clearly, and representing our principles, they should receive full support after becoming the Nominee. That is how we build a deeper bench and compete everywhere, not just in safe seats.

Fourth, I am calling for an audit of the SREC. I have heard of and know of candidates who received zero communication from their SRECs the entire election cycle. This is an essential part of their responsibility to get Republicans elected. If they don’t like the candidate but voters voted for the candidate, SREC members should be required to work with nominees. Confirm which SRECs did and did not do this. They shouldn’t be allowed to run again if they didn’t.

These are straightforward changes rooted in what I saw as someone who ran without the usual advantages and still put everything into the race. Supporting the people who are willing to do the work, keeping things practical and low-drama, opening the door wider for younger and non-traditional candidates, and holding SREC members accountable for doing their jobs will make the Republican Party of Texas more effective.
I’m happy to discuss any of this further. Thank you for your time and for the work you do.

Sincerely,

Lauren B. Peña

[Lauren B. Peña for Congress @pena4ATX]

I believe Texas can fully fund our public schools and keep school choice available to the families who need it most, especially low-income families and families with children with disabilities.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

And this is precisely the kind of issue I believe deserves more attention.

If companies can hire workers willing to accept significantly lower wages because their living expenses are across the border, what incentive do those companies have to offer competitive wages to Texans living and raising families here?

I’m not blaming someone for accepting an opportunity to provide for their family. I’m questioning the employers and the economic incentives involved.

We keep hearing about labor shortages, but how much of the problem involves wages that aren’t competitive enough to attract and retain local workers?

I’d like to see actual numbers on recruitment, compensation, and how many qualified Texans are applying for these jobs.

If companies want to claim there’s a labor shortage, they should be willing to demonstrate what they’ve done to attract workers already living here.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Mariana, I understand your concerns, but here’s where I disagree with you.

There are consequences for knowingly violating the law, and immigration shouldn’t be an exception. American citizens who commit crimes can lose certain rights and privileges. Why should someone who knowingly entered this country illegally or deliberately overstayed a visa be exempt from consequences simply because they’ve remained here for years?

Those who were born here, along with immigrants who followed the legal process, have a legitimate expectation that our immigration laws will be respected. Citizenship and lawful residency are not the same thing, nor should legalization automatically guarantee citizenship.

I recognize that children brought here through no decision of their own deserve separate consideration. However, adults who knowingly violated immigration laws made a choice, and choices carry consequences.

I’m also speaking from personal experience. I’ve spoken with numerous undocumented immigrants who openly acknowledge that they came here to work, earn money, support their families, and eventually return to their home countries. Many have told me they have little interest in American politics. They know the risks of their immigration status and understand that being caught could mean deportation.

I’m not suggesting this represents every undocumented immigrant, but these conversations deserve consideration alongside those advocating for citizenship.

You describe permanent legal residency without voting rights as creating second-class Americans. But legal residents who aren’t citizens already exist, and residency does not automatically confer the political rights of citizenship.

I’m not opposed to discussing a legal pathway for people to work, pay taxes, and contribute to this country. What I oppose is the idea that knowingly violating immigration law should carry no meaningful consequences.

And here’s my question to you: How is it fair to those who followed the legal process, sometimes waiting years and making considerable sacrifices, if those who knowingly bypassed it are ultimately granted the same privileges without comparable accountability?

We cannot have an honest conversation about fairness while disregarding the people who respected the law in the first place.

[Diaz @Diaztorres18]

Carlos, if the objective is simply to work legally in the United States and travel back and forth to their home countries, why aren’t we discussing reforms to our existing legal work-visa programs?

My issue isn’t with people wanting to work and provide for their families. It’s with the idea that someone who entered or remained in the country unlawfully should receive a pathway unavailable to people who followed the legal process.

What accountability measures would your proposal include for unlawful entry or overstaying a visa? How would you ensure fairness to applicants who have spent years waiting and complying with immigration requirements?

And what prevents this from encouraging future illegal immigration if people believe legalization will eventually be offered again?

I’m willing to discuss immigration reform, but I want to know how your proposal respects the rule of law and those who followed it.

Why create a separate pathway rather than address the shortcomings of the legal immigration system we already have?