“The Hispanic vote is won with respect, and deporting hardworking Dreamers is not respect – it’s a slap in the face”
Dallas, TX – This week, an immigration judge ruled that AI entrepreneur, Southern Methodist University graduate, Omar Salazar, will not be allowed to stay in the U.S. The ruling comes after a months-long effort by his community and legal team to petition for his release from ICE custody. Salazar was brought to the United States at 11 years old, is married to a U.S. citizen, and has no criminal record.
ABIC Action, Comité de 100 and other community voices issued a statement condemning this ruling as an example of the local impacts of federal immigration overreach. Research from Comité de 100 and ABIC Action shows that the Hispanic vote will likely determine the outcome of the 2026 midterms. Recent insights also highlight growing discontent among Hispanic voters with Republicans and Donald Trump, driven in part by harsh immigration policies and rhetoric. The groups call on lawmakers to urgently pass common-sense legislation such as the Dream Act and Dignity Act to ensure that long-term hardworking immigrants and Dreamers are not torn away from their communities.
Juan Carlos Cerda, American Business Immigration Coalition:
“Omar Salazar is a husband, a community leader, and a graduate of one of Texas’s most respected universities, and this ruling will tear him away from everything he has built here. This is what federal immigration overreach looks like in practice: families separated, communities destabilized, talented professionals forced to leave and the American promise broken for people who have done everything right. ABIC stands with Omar and the countless Dreamers like him who contribute to our economy and our communities every day. We call on Congress to act now and pass the Dream Act and the Dignity Act, so that no more families are forced to fight this battle. There’s one thing we know: if the Dream Act or the Dignity had been in place, Omar would have qualified for citizenship and would still be contributing to our state and our economy.”
Texas State Representatives Ramon Romero, Chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus:
“Omar Salazar is a Texan in every way that matters, and his loss is a tragedy for our country. He did everything right. He grew up here, went to school here, and built a life centered on giving back. Latinos did not vote for the mass deportation of law-abiding Texans who are the backbone of our communities. Congress cannot continue to fail families like Omar’s. It’s time to pass real immigration reform before more families are torn apart.”
Diana Flores, VP of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce:
“As a Dallas College Trustee who has spent decades opening the doors of higher education to students like Omar Salazar, I know exactly what this country is losing and it is not just one man. Deporting college-educated Dreamers and hardworking contributors at every level is short-sighted policy and a self-inflicted brain drain that deepens our already critical shortage of skilled workers. American families are simultaneously stretched thin by high prices, rising gas costs, and growing economic uncertainty now compounded by the conflict in Iran. Against this backdrop, Latino voters are taking note. Recent elections demonstrate that we are the true swing vote. Every candidate who fails to champion just immigration reform should know that we will hold them accountable for all of it in November.”
John Martinez, CEO, Regional Hispanic Contractors Association:
“As President of the Hispanic Contractors, I’ve worked with Omar, and it’s tough to see someone with his talent and work ethic being pushed out. In Texas, we’re already short on skilled workers. We need people like Omar.
Federal leaders should listen to the many people who support Dreamers like Omar. These are individuals who have built real skills, are working, and contributing every day. They should have the chance to keep doing that here.”