Joaquin Castro, U.S. Congressman representing Texas’ 20th district since 2013 and a San Antonio native, posted a series of tweets on July 21, 2025, addressing concerns over political redistricting in Texas and the detention of U.S. citizens by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a tweet published at 16:23 UTC, Castro criticized state officials for prioritizing redistricting efforts over disaster recovery. He wrote, “Instead of spearheading recovery efforts, Gov. Abbott and Ken Paxton are focused on redrawing Congressional maps to cling to power.
Fair maps are essential to making sure every Texans’ voice counts.
San Antonians, if you have questions about how this may affect you, please call”.
Later that day at 18:06 UTC, Castro commented on the actions of ICE regarding military veterans who are U.S. citizens. He stated, “ICE is detaining U.S. citizens who have served our country. It’s wrong and un-American.”
At 20:55 UTC, Castro addressed the topic of gerrymandering in another post: “Vocabulary word of the day: gerrymandering
And it has no place in our democracy.”
Castro has represented Texas’s 20th District in Congress since succeeding Charlie Gonzalez in 2013 and previously served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013. Born in San Antonio in 1974 and currently residing there, he holds degrees from Stanford University and Harvard Law School.
Gerrymandering—the manipulation of electoral boundaries for political advantage—has been a contentious issue in Texas politics for years. The process can impact representation for communities across the state.
