Political speech, timestamped and in context

Gina Hinojosa: “We spent taxpayer dollars locking up immigrants.”

Featuring: Gina Hinojosa, Democratic | Texas House of Representatives, District 49

Gina Hinojosa Takes Aim at Greg Abbott: “He’s Hiding From Texas Voters”

Published October 1, 2026

Let me tell you what he did in what he's calling oper immigration, Lone Star. We spent taxpayer dollars to patrol the border. State police patrolling the border. We spent taxpayer dollars locking up immigrants. Right? We spent taxpayer dollars prosecuting these immigrants for trespassing because he trumped up the charges so that they could be incarcerated for trespassing. (09:15–09:20)

STATEMENT

Asserts that taxpayer dollars are used to incarcerate immigrants.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

See the main statements from Gina Hinojosa in this video

“Over 150 school districts [in Texas] operating at four days a week because they can't afford to operate at five days a week.”
Asserts that over 150 school districts in Texas have reduced their operational days due to financial constraints.00:41-00:48
“Property taxes have gone up 85% under Greg Abbott.”
Asserts that property taxes in Texas have increased by 85% during Greg Abbott's tenure.01:04-01:10
“We had over 600 Texans perish [during winter storm URI].”
Asserts that over 600 Texans died during winter storm URI.01:38-01:45
“Data centers will drive up our electricity costs $600 a year.”
Predicts that data centers will increase electricity costs by $600 annually.01:57-02:02
“We have it hoarded in Austin in the Rainy Day Fund. $27 billion with a B.”
Claims that $27 billion is stored in Texas's Rainy Day Fund.02:16-02:23
“Historically it's been at $10 billion.”
States that the Rainy Day Fund historically held $10 billion.02:43-02:47
“Greg Abbott has given a billion dollars in no contracts to his donors.”
Accuses Greg Abbott of awarding a billion dollars in no-bid contracts to donors.05:09-05:14
“We have the most people without health insurance.”
Claims Texas has the highest number of uninsured people.06:06-06:10
“We have the most children without health insurance.”
Claims Texas has the highest number of uninsured children.06:09-06:12
“We have the most people who can't afford to pay their electricity bills and they're cut off from their electricity in the whole nation.”
Claims Texas leads the nation in electricity disconnections due to unpaid bills.06:11-06:19
“We have the most bankruptcies.”
Claims Texas has the highest number of bankruptcies.06:21-06:23
“There's the biggest data center in the world that's being built there, Project Matador.”
Asserts that the largest data center in the world, Project Matador, is being constructed in Texas.13:53-13:57
“I would freeze electricity rates in the state of Texas.”
Proposes to freeze electricity rates in Texas.01:33-01:37
“Gas companies withheld the gas at the grid needed until they could make record profits.”
Accuses gas companies of withholding gas during a crisis to make record profits.01:44-01:49
“Greg Abbott corruption tax refund.”
Proposes a tax refund labeled as the "Greg Abbott corruption tax refund."02:55-02:58
“Texans standing outside of plasma centers two to three times a week to give blood, to have enough money to pay their bills.”
Claims Texans are donating plasma frequently to afford bills.03:49-03:58
“Teachers standing in line in the morning before the doors to the plasma center open to make enough to make ends meet.”
Claims teachers are donating plasma to supplement their income.03:58-04:06
“Greg Abbott subsidizes all these global corporations to come here and our mom and pop shops can't compete.”
Accuses Greg Abbott of subsidizing global corporations, harming small businesses.06:27-06:34
“In all the times he's run for governor and this is his fourth time, he's never had a poll that shows him losing.”
Asserts that the governor has never previously had a poll showing him losing in his gubernatorial campaigns.08:06-08:13
“What he's done in the name of border security is political theater. A dog and pony show that has cost us billions.”
Asserts that the current border security measures are ineffective and have cost billions.08:56-09:03
“We spent taxpayer dollars to patrol the border. State police patrolling the border.”
Asserts that taxpayer dollars are used for state police to patrol the border.09:09-09:16
“We spent taxpayer dollars prosecuting these immigrants for trespassing because he trumped up the charges.”
Asserts that taxpayer dollars are used to prosecute immigrants for trespassing with allegedly inflated charges.09:19-09:28
“In Texas, we have no protections against the data centers. They're setting up shop.”
Asserts that Texas lacks protections against data centers establishing operations.13:03-13:09
“Greg Abbott invited them in with the richest tax breaks in the country.”
Asserts that Greg Abbott offered the most lucrative tax breaks in the country to attract data centers.13:08-13:13
“The project Matador is getting water from the municipal water source, and they take legal priority over the residents.”
Asserts that a data center project has legal priority over residents for municipal water access.14:06-14:16
“Last year I voted against the bill for corporate welfare.”
Asserts that she voted against a corporate welfare bill.15:41-15:45
“I voted against the budget that was. Had all sorts of grift in it.”
Asserts that she voted against a budget due to perceived corruption.15:44-15:49
“I voted against speaker of the House, again, one of the few Democrats or Republicans to vote against the speaker.”
Asserts that she was one of the few to vote against the Speaker of the House.15:52-16:00
“We have created this bloated corporate welfare state in Texas instead of doing the bidding for the people.”
Asserts that Texas has become a corporate welfare state.16:09-16:17
“Republicans in Austin have already said they're coming back next year to redraw maps and, and they'll eliminate five Democrats from Congress when they do that.”
Asserts that Republicans plan to redraw maps to eliminate five Democratic congressional seats.19:51-20:00
“In two years we'll get another four to five seats through the US Census because Texas growing faster than all the other states.”
Asserts that Texas will gain four to five congressional seats due to population growth.19:59-20:07
“We need a governor who will veto rig maps whether they're rigged for Republicans or rigged for Democrats.”
Asserts the need for a governor to veto gerrymandered maps.20:25-20:31