Austin, TX – Following the passage of Texas SB4, the virulently anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, and anti-public safety legislation, America’s Voice, a national pro-immigrant advocacy organization, has hired Mario Carrillo as the Texas State Director to help amplify the efforts of Texas-based advocacy groups to push back against SB4.
Mario will work to support the efforts of Texas-based advocacy groups as they implement a campaign in opposition to the “show me your papers” law recently signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. This is part of an effort by America’s Voice to work with colleagues to protect immigrants in Texas threatened by SB4, to protect the civil rights of Texans threatened with discrimination, and to mobilize opposition to the law from across the country.
For interview requests, please contact Nicky Vogt atpress@americasvoice.org
Prior to America’s Voice, Mario served as the communications director at Voto Latino, where he focused on organizational messaging and implemented a comprehensive communications strategy. In 2016, Mario’s work helped the organization earn more than one billion media impressions during a critical election year, and he placed op-eds by Voto Latino influencers, including Wilmer Valderrama and Lila Downs, in key national and local media outlets. Before that, Mario worked as the communications manager for United We Dream.
According to Mario Carrillo:
SB4 includes a provision similar to Arizona’s infamous ‘show me your papers’ law and has no place in our state. Being here on the ground in Texas, I’ve seen firsthand the fear and uncertainty that the passage of SB4 has created within the immigrant community. We must do everything we can to prevent this hateful law from being implemented, while empowering immigrants across the state to know their rights. Along with our state partners, I look forward to building a Texas reflective of its inherent diversity, and one that celebrates the countless contributions of millions of immigrants statewide.
Mario was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and raised in El Paso, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Arts in Journalism from the University of Texas. He lives in Austin with his wife Angelica and dog Hugo.
Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice, said:
We are thrilled to have Mario join our team at such a critical moment and in such a critical state. Some 1.5 million undocumented immigrants live and work in Texas, the second largest population in the country. With the state’s GOP intent on driving them out of the state and the country, it is imperative that we partner with advocates, local officials and people of good will in Texas to mount a ferocious campaign to resist and repeal SB4. And we will work with colleagues across the nation to make sure that we stand in solidarity with those on the front lines. We are confident that Mario’s passion for his home state and his extensive experience on these issues will enable us to pursue these objectives aggressively.
