'Not Islamabad or Delhi': Republican leader calls Hanuman statue in Texas an ‘invasion’, sparks outrage

A towering statue of Lord Hanuman in Texas has ignited controversy after activist Carlos Turcios labelled it an “invasion” of “third world aliens.”

Published on: Feb 19, 2026, 18:03:34 IST

Written by Yamini C S

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A Republican leader linked to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement has sparked outrage online after questioning the presence of a towering Hindu statue in Texas, drawing accusations of religious intolerance and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Social media backlash accused him of xenophobia and religious intolerance. (X)

Carlos Turcios, a Republican leader from the Dallas-Fort Worth region, posted a video of a 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman located at a Hindu temple in Sugar Land, claiming that “third world aliens” were taking over the state and the country.

In a post on X, Turcios wrote that Texas was not Islamabad or New Delhi and asked why one of the largest statues in the United States depicted a Hindu deity, urging people to “stop the invasion.”

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“SUGAR LAND, TEXAS. This is not Islamabad, Pakistan, or New Delhi, India. This is Sugar Land, Texas. Third World Aliens are slowly taking over Texas and America. Why is the third-largest statue in the US this??! Stop the INVASION!” he wrote on X.

The statue, officially called the Panchaloha Abhaya Hanuman and installed in 2024 at the Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple, is among the tallest Hindu monuments in the US.

Turcios’ remarks quickly drew sharp criticism across social media, with users accusing him of xenophobia and of singling out immigrant faith communities despite their long-standing presence in American society.

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“This isn’t an “invasion.” It’s America. Sugar Land, Texas is diverse because America is diverse. That’s not a threat — that’s the foundation of the country. Religious statues, churches, temples, mosques — they all exist under the same Constitution. Diversity isn’t an invasion. It’s literally the American story. Maybe the Constitution is the real “third largest structure” people should read first,” a reply stated.

“The First Amendment (1791) prohibits the US government from establishing an official religion (Establishment Clause) or prohibiting the free exercise of religion (Free Exercise Clause). So what are you complaining about???” another comment read.

“So if there's a church in India, it should be considered an invasion?” said another response.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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