Editor's Note: While the concept of Rio Grande Valley statehood has become fashionable for reformist, liberal currents who'd only like to help electoral prospects for the capitalist Democratic Party, RGV native and UTRGV philosophy graduate, my old friend, Carlos Valerio, was the first person I ever heard of to propose this more than 5 years ago, in March of 2019. Carlos submitted the piece to me for publication. I made edits, revisions, and asked for clarifications, but he was very busy that semester with school and we sort of shelved it at the time. However, for the sake of history and politics, I would like to publish this where Carlos first hoped it to be published. This topic was reintroduced to my attention by Unete 956 co-founder, Allyson Duarte, in her broaching the topic on social media, in which she included both Carlos and me. I wrote a complimentary piece that instead focused just on The Forgotten History of the Republic of the Rio Grande and "the revolution for which it stood," in September 2022. I have not made any edits to Carlos' piece, since the ones last made in June 2019 by Carlos, according to the document's version history.
-- Jonathan Salinas, 11 June 2024, 9:52 p.m.
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By Carlos Valerio
The Rio Grande Valley is a place where two cultures meet. To best describe it, one might refer to this region as American-Mexico, where locals have more in common with people just 15 minutes away, who live south of the Rio Grande/Bravo, than they might with people living in San Antonio or Austin.
Many in the US, and around the world, first learned of the Rio Grande Valley (delta) this summer when the Trump Administration manufactured a “border crisis,” leading to the despicable internment of children and forced separation from their parents. To them, this is an area rife with criminality. It needs the militarization and the wall that has dominated news cycles. To us who live here though that is not the case. Deep south Texas is a place of beautiful culture with beautiful creative people who have fused the best of both nations.
Valley residents know that to the average US citizen, deep south Texas ends in San Antonio.
The Border Wall Donald Trump wants so badly is one that RGV residents are already accustomed. Another “wall” structure we know well is the Falfurrias checkpoint, a reminder of continuing suspicion against Latinos, known historically to the Lonestar State and the home of the brave to question whether we’re “actual Americans,” based on racial profiling. In Falfurrias, our “Otherness” is affirmed, signaling where the “Real Texas” begins and where Tejas ends.
Texas is a deep red state. It’s last Democratic governor was Ann Richards who served in the 90’s, now going on two and a half decades of Republican rule.
The map on the left is the 2018 gubernatorial map of Texas, on the right the 2016 presidential. In both, we can see the will of RGV residents remains largely consistent as a democratic stronghold. Due to the population and political leanings of Northern Texas, it’s clear the RGV will lack any meaningful representation in deciding where state and federal funds are allocated. So not only is there a disconnect at Falfurrias politically, but politically and ideologically as well.
A clear example of this was when Governor Abbott declined free federal dollars for Medicaid expansion simply because he was ideologically opposed to the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a Obamacare. This decision adversely affected the RGV, as it is one of the poorest and unhealthiest regions in the United States. Abbott purposely harmed vulnerable people in one of the most destitute areas because he personally didn’t like Obama. His spite hurt people in our area and continued the historical antagonisms of Texas towards Tejanos/Mexican-Americans.
Funds actually allocated to our region often come strictly in the form of further militarization of the southern border, which includes an increased presence of border patrol. In this region, we have a crisis of health and opportunity; but it’s ignored. We are taxed and we vote, but aren’t represented. We have no real agency as a region and this is precisely why I propose a serious movement for RGV Statehood.
The population of the RGV is roughly estimated at 1,300,000 residents. This is more than states like Wyoming, Rhode Island, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. There is precedent for a populous area like ours. The ethnic makeup, for example, is overwhelmingly Latino/Hispanic and it should come as no surprise considering its proximity to the US-Mexico border.
It has been said that the many residents here did not cross the border, but rather that the border crossed them. Historically, this land belonged to the natives and Mexican rancheros that worked the land here—the original Cowboys that Northern Texans co-opted and tried to emulate. There is still a presence of both indigenous and mestizo in this region that is forgotten by heads of State like Abbott. He tries to paint us with the same fear-mongering brush that Donald Trump has. That we are an area of illegal gang members, rapists and criminals that justify Trump’s wall and Abbott’s continued militarization of the border with Texas DPS agents.
But we know better. Studies show that United States citizens who are native born actually commit more crimes than undocumented people. McAllen, in fact, is one of the safest cities in Texas, if not the United States. An RGV state would be able to allocate funds into creating a healthier, well-educated populace instead of continuing to ignore and antagonize us come election time. An RGV state would be able to contest the Trump administration waiving countless laws for his racist monument instead of abetting him like Abbott has.
We would have more local control as an area and our politicians would be better for it. Where state republicans have failed so have local Democrats who use the RGV to get elected into office, and then capitulate to state and federal powers. In a statewide RGV race for governor, I believe 3rd parties would thrive here more than any other area.
There is a strong tradition of both Anarchism and Marxism that has been passed down from our Mestizo descendants. It would allow us to unlock our potential as a region. We should create an area that celebrates us, not as an “Other” but as the beautiful meld of cultures we are. A culture that celebrates hard work and independence, where people get past petty differences with a beer and tacos. We are mainly working class that is being forgotten and cast as something we aren’t. I wouldn’t trade growing up in the RGV for anywhere else. We are insulated from the racism that seems to be creeping throughout the northern US and although some have questionable views here, I’d say the RGV is accepting of most people regardless of skin color.
RGV statehood would create an area where workers wouldn’t be forgotten, given only the choice between working for an oil rigs, retail or Border Patrol; a place where the health of our people is a priority rather than an afterthought in the politics of spite; a place where local, Democratic politicians will be held much more accountable because they no longer have the Republican state to vilify.
RGV statehood is the next step in progress for us. It’s time to take the reigns of our own futures and lives.
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