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  • 2022-07-13 (xsd:date)
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  • No, Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas, is not the first Mexican-born member of Congress (en)
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  • Despite multiple claims, newly elected Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas, is not the first Mexican-born member of Congress. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., repeated the incorrect claim that Flores is the first Mexican-born member of Congress, on a July 11 podcast . The Congresswoman meant to say the first female Mexican-born member of congress. She missed the word female, Boebert’s team told PolitiFact. Flores herself made the claim on Twitter on June 15, a day after winning a special election to fill the seat held by Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, who resigned to take another job. As a proud #WalkAway I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. If you voted for Biden or stayed at home in the 2020 elections, don't make the same mistake in 2022! I am the first Mexican Born American Citizen to be elected into Congress 🇺🇸 #TX34 — Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores2022) June 16, 2022 Although Flores , who was born in Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico, is the first Mexican-born woman elected to Congress, she is not the first Mexican-born member of Congress. Three of her current colleagues in the House of Representatives were born in Mexico. Rep. Salud Carbajal , D-Calif., was born in Moroleon, Mexico; Rep. Raul Ruiz , D-Calif., was born in Zacatecas, Mexico; and Rep. Jesus Chuy GarcĂ­a , D-Ill., was born in Durango, Mexico. GarcĂ­a responded to Flores’ June 15 tweet the next day and shared a list of all members of Congress who were born in Mexico. Welcome to Congress. First lesson, be sure to fact check. https://t.co/UgeFlMD8f0 — Congressman Chuy GarcĂ­a (@RepChuyGarcia) June 16, 2022 There are at least four other former members of Congress who were also born in Mexico. Sen. Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo , R-N.M., born in El Valle de San Bartolo (now Allende), state of Chihuahua, Mexico, served in the Senate from 1928 to 1929. Rep. Carlos Bee , D-Texas, born in Saltillo, Mexico, served in the House from 1919 to 1921. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez , D-Texas, born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, served in the House from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2011. Rep. Ruben Kihuen , D-Nev., born in Guadalajara, Mexico, served from 2017 to 2019. It’s also worth noting that Rep. Romualdo Pacheco, R-Calif ., who served from 1877 to 1883, was born in Santa Barbara, California when it was a Mexican territory. There are currently 29 foreign-born members of Congress, 10 of whom were born outside the U.S. to American parents or on U.S. military bases out of the country. Our ruling Boebert claimed that newly elected Flores is the first Mexican-born member of Congress. While Flores is the first Mexican-born congresswoman, throughout history at least seven other members of Congress were born in Mexico. Three of those currently serve beside Flores and Boebert in the House of Representatives. We rate Boebert’s claim False. (en)
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