Rep. Escobar in Letter to Trump: Apologize to El Paso for False Claims About City’s Crime Rate

Feb 7, 2019
8:56 PM

On Thursday, Rep. Veronica Escobar, the Texas Democrat who represents El Paso, sent a letter to President Trump, “asking him to correct the record on his misleading State of the Union remarks about El Paso, a safe and vibrant border community, and to apologize to El Pasoans for misrepresenting their hometown,” according to a media release from Escobar’s office.

“El Paso has never been one of the most ‘dangerous cities’ in the country, and our safety and security has long been a point of pride. These distortions about our vibrant community are harmful to our reputation and degrade our spirit,” Congresswoman Escobar wrote in her letter.

“Yesterday, we learned that you intend to visit El Paso next week. I urge you to treat this visit as your opportunity not only to correct the record and ensure that the misinformation you stated on the national stage is retracted, but also an opportunity to apologize to El Pasoans for the disparagement of our community.”

Escobar urged Trump to visit other parts of El Paso and “hear from local stakeholders,” the release said.

The release also added this: “Congresswoman Escobar continued the letter stating that the only way to get a full understanding of the border would be for the president to: view the location where Felipe Alonzo Gómez, the 8-year-old Guatemalan child who died in U.S. custody, was apprehended; tour local ports of entry; meet with human rights and legal advocates who work with migrant populations; speak with asylum-seeking families; and, visit the El Paso Processing Center where at least 9 detainees on hunger strike are being force-fed.”

The full letter is below. It also includes receipts: