HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday.
Trump will travel to the Valley to honor law enforcement working on the border and may receive an endorsement from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Hidalgo County GOP Chair Adrienne Peña-Garza told ValleyCentral the former president will be updated about Texas’ multi-billion dollar Operation Lone Star that Abbott put forth in 2021 to counter Biden-era immigration policies.
Trump will also serve meals for law enforcement working the U.S.-Mexico border.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity during the Thanksgiving holidays to give back to local law enforcement, DPS, National Guard and just show some thanks for the work they do on the southern us border. We’re here on the frontlines,” Chairwoman Peña-Garza told ValleyCentral.
Abbott is expected to endorse the former president in the 2024 campaign. ValleyCentral asked the GOP chairwoman if she can confirm that.
“I have heard lots of rumors and we’ll see what happens,” she answered.
Hidalgo County Democratic Chairman Richard Gonzales believes both Trump and Abbott are visiting the Valley to promote broad sweeping, discriminatory laws on immigration.
“I find it very curious that we haven’t seen or heard from him in a while and yet he never shies away from a photo-op with a governor to make it sound like something it’s not,” Gonzales said.
Peña-Garza said Abbott planned this event as a way to honor law enforcement involved in Operation Lone Star long ago before inviting Trump.
Therefore, it is not designed as a campaign event for the former president.
Peña-Garza said she would like to believe that Trump is coming to South Texas because the Valley is becoming more red, politically.
“It’s not so much about the red and blue. I think it’s how these national Democratic policies are negatively impacting our way of life here in south Texas,” she explained.
The Texas Primary is set for March 5th.
