At its founding, the group worked to expand Hispanic civil rights at a time when Texas Rangers would set up blockades to intercept Mexican American organizers and signs outside some restaurants still read “No Mexicans or dogs allowed.”
From a small network of local groups, LULAC rose to national prominence, winning legal battles to desegregate and better integrate public schools and promote homeownership and economic mobility for a younger generations of Latinos. The group was part of a successful effort to end segregation in California’s public schools, which paved the way for the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 1954 that found segregating children in schools by race was unconstitutional.
As the group gained influence and expanded its reach, rifts developed among its membership. Latinos, once often seen as a monolithic group, have grappled in recent years with questions about political and cultural identity, as they have become the second largest ethnic voter bloc behind white people. The suspensions and proposed changes to the organization’s constitution could be a harbinger for its future.
The first proposed amendment would rewrite a provision in the constitution to limit group members to residents of the United States of America, “meaning the 50 states and the District of Columbia” — but not Puerto Rico. If that fails, another would mandate that Puerto Rican membership be proportional to the Puerto Rican population in the United States.
Carlos Fajardo, whose position as Puerto Rico LULAC state director is in limbo — the group said he was among Puerto Rican leaders “currently suspended” — called the suggested amendments “bigoted” and “the latest act of discrimination” against Puerto Ricans.
“It is sad,” Mr. Fajardo said, adding that the group’s president had also done a lot for Puerto Ricans, who were accepted into the group more than 30 years ago. “We are having to fight for our civil rights within a civil rights organization.”
Joe Henry, who is the group’s state political director for Iowa and Mexican American, said it did not make sense for the organization to exclude residents of Puerto Rico, who are American citizens. He argued that such a move would run counter to the group’s spirit and mission. “Our organization is about — an injury to one is an injury to all,” Mr. Henry said.
