Southwest
Texas’ ballot harvesting ‘raids’ lead to outrage in Latino community, civil rights group
One of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations plans to seek federal legal action after Texas officials executed searches and seizures relating to alleged illegal ballot harvesting ahead of the 2024 election.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, announced that his office’s Election Integrity unit had executed searches in three South Texas counties last week as part of his ongoing probe.
Paxton said the unit had been working since 2022 to investigate fraud and ballot harvesting allegations, which led to enough evidence to obtain warrants.
However, officials at LULAC – the League of United Latin American Citizens – alleged the warrant searches constituted “raids” and wrongly targeted elderly longtime volunteers who were engaged in lawful ballot collection.
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A woman prepares mail-in ballots to be counted at a polling station in Pennsylvania. (Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/File)
LULAC National President Roman Palomares said he is hoping to go to Washington to meet with Justice Department officials who handle civil rights cases. Palomares alleged that “100%” of those targeted were of Latino or minority ethnicity.
“Two or three of our members were [subject to the searches], and they’re certified [voter] registrants,” he told Fox News Digital. “These are regular people, but for some reason they’re targeting [them].”
“We think it’s unjustifiable. These are tactics that they use to suppress the vote,” Palomares said. “That’s what we feel that’s being done, and that’s why we’re here. I’m here to defend my members.”
While Paxton’s office did not return a request for comment, the attorney general said in a statement that “secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic.”
“We were glad to assist when the District Attorney referred this case to my office for investigation. We are completely committed to protecting the security of the ballot box and the integrity of every legal vote. This means ensuring accountability for anyone committing election crimes,” Paxton said.
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However, Palomares said there may be another political interest in the Uvalde-area counties where the operations took place: Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans see the 80th State House district as the Democrat seat most primed to flip red in November.
Palomares argued that LULAC volunteers aren’t in Bexar County to help Democrats retain the seat, suggesting the organization is not allowed to do so.
“There are folks that are working to help, not necessarily her, but to get voters registered so they can vote; we’re nonpartisan. We can’t tell them how to vote, but we want to register as many people so they can exercise their right,” he said.
“And those are the folks that have been targeted. And it appears that it’s targeted around this district.”
Abbott’s office did not return a request for comment on the allegation, but it did in January endorse former Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, the Republican in the race.
League of United Latin American Citizens pamphlets (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images/File)
Palomares added that one woman subject to the warrant searches was 80 years old and a former member of the LULAC board.
He said law enforcement confiscated her electronics and that she told him she was embarrassed to be stuck outside her house in her nightgown around dawn. He called the way the searches were conducted “intimidation tactics.”
“I don’t think it’s right. You know, she hasn’t committed a crime, hasn’t been convicted, hasn’t been hiding or anything,” Palomares said.
“I mean, these are allegations that they hear from somewhere, and they come in and do things.”
A spokesperson for the Justice Department confirmed receipt of a letter from LULAC on Tuesday but declined to elaborate further.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him
A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.
According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday.
“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.”
The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.
No further details were immediately available.
Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach
A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.
On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.
She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.
Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.
The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
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