Houston Mayor John Whitmire defends remarks about undocumented Gulfton residents, calling criticism a ‘misrepresentation’

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston Mayor John Whitmire came under fire Wednesday for commenting about Gulfton residents while discussing public transportation in the area with the nonprofit newsroom Houston Public Landing.

Gulfton, often called today’s Ellis Island, spans just 3.5 square miles where more than 50 languages ​​are spoken and more than 40 percent of residents live below the poverty line.

“I have been disheartened by some of the comments that have been made,” Houston District J City Council Member Edward Pollard told Whitmire.

Pollard, who represents both Gulfton and the Galleria, read Whitmire’s remarks aloud at Wednesday’s council meeting, as they were printed in the Houston Public Landing.

“They’re mostly undocumented immigrants. They just want basic services. They don’t want to be part of the Galleria,” Whitmire told the publication. “Do you think they will be welcome at the Galleria?”

“You know, and I know that was a misrepresentation of my comments,” Whitmire told Pollard on Wednesday.

The mayor commented during a conversation with Houston Public Landing about expanding bus service in the area.

He said residents told him they “need reliable METRO buses to get to the Baker Ripley Center.”

The nonprofit center offers everything from immigration to nutrition services.

However, the mayor said a rapid bus line to the Galleria was not necessary, citing the comments above in his argument.

“I’ll match my record with immigrants with anyone’s. It’s a calling, I care, and if you want to use false statements for your political purposes, go ahead, but the public knows it,” Whitmire said, addressing Pollard.

In a statement, Whitmire told ABC13, “We spent a lot of time in Gulfton asking residents if they had a high demand for shopping in the Galleria area. The answer was overwhelmingly no. In fact, residents say no one asked them. what are their preferences. We plan to change this practice. We design transit solutions for Gulfton that meet the needs of the community, not what specialist consultants think they want.

“I work with the county commissioner to provide a basic service to the Gulfton area, so there is a time to campaign, and there is a time to go to work. You choose the method of campaigning, it’s “I want to go to work,” Whitmire told Pollard on Wednesday.

Pollard responded: “Work with me. I’m sitting here with you. You don’t have to go out of town.”

Whitmire said, “I was out there all day Saturday.”

Pollard replied: “I was there before you.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know your schedule and you don’t know mine, but I serve a big city,” Whitmire said. “Thank you. I shouldn’t even hire you, but I wanted to clear up that misrepresentation.”

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