Texas Hanuman statue sparks row after activist says 'third world aliens are slowly taking over Texas'

• A Texas activist criticized a 90-foot Hanuman statue in Sugar Land.
• He claimed “third World Aliens are slowly taking over Texas.”
• The statue stands on private property at a Hindu temple.
• Indian-Americans strongly rejected the remarks online.
• Debate also touched on H-1B visas and immigration issues.

A political controversy erupted in Texas after a conservative activist questioned the presence of a large Hindu statue in the state.

Carlos Turcios, a Republican activist from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, shared a video on X of a 90-foot statue of Lord Hanuman located at the Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land.

In his post, Turcios claimed that “third-world aliens are slowly taking over Texas and America” and urged people to “stop the invasion.”

The statue, known as the Panchaloha Abhaya Hanuman, was inaugurated in August 2024. Temple officials say it is the tallest statue of its kind in North America. They describe it as a symbol of strength and devotion and call it a “spiritual epicenter” meant to promote peace.

The comments quickly sparked strong reactions online, especially from Indian-Americans.

One user responded: “It’s on private property, built by Hindus on land they own and with their own money. You lost the culture war years ago, and you’re about to lose the midterms, too. Your ‘America First’ grift is exposed as racist nostalgia.”

Another commenter used data to argue that Indian-Americans are well-assimilated into US society. The person wrote: “There are 41 million households that speak Spanish in the US. Yet there are no Indian languages in the top 10. Since household language is the strongest indicator of assimilation, you have a long way to go before your group is anywhere near the assimilation level of Indian-Americans.”

Turcios has previously spoken out against the H-1B visa program. He has claimed that Indian immigrants were “invading” cities such as Frisco, Texas. The H-1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign workers in specialized fields.

Other conservative leaders have also criticized the visa system. Ron DeSantis, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Nikki Haley’s son, Nalin Haley, have all called for strong limits or bans on the program, saying it hurts American workers.

At the same time, several prominent figures in Republican politics follow Hinduism. These include Vivek Ramaswamy, Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, and Usha Vance.

Despite the online controversy, the Hanuman statue remains an important religious and cultural symbol for the local Indian-American community. The temple continues to welcome visitors and conduct prayers as usual.

For many in the community, the statue represents faith, identity, and belonging, not politics.