Latest update:18 February 2026, 18:45 IST

Carlos Turcios shared a video of the towering statue on the X, positioning it as a sign of a cultural “invasion” linked to Indian migration.

The statue in question is the Statue of Union, a 90-foot-tall bronze statue of Hanuman in the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple.

A Texas-based conservative activist faced backlash from netizens after he sparked controversy by questioning the 90-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman at the Shree Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas.

A Republican activist from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, who goes by the name Carlos Turcios, shared a video of the towering statue on the X, positioning it as a sign of a cultural “invasion” linked to Indian immigration. He claimed that “Third World aliens are slowly taking over Texas and America” ​​and urged people to “stop the invasion.”

“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 United States like this???! Stop the invasion!” He said while sharing the video of the statue on X.

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Turcios’ comments sparked a quick backlash from Indian Americans and other social media users, many of whom pointed out that the statue stands on privately owned temple land and was funded by the Hindu community.

“It’s private property – built by Hindus on land they own and with their own money,” one user responded, accusing Tursius of promoting divisive rhetoric.

Another commentator cited US home language data to say that Indian Americans are among the most assimilated immigrant groups in the country, noting that Indian languages ​​do not appear among the top ten languages ​​spoken at home.

“There are 41 million Spanish-speaking households in the United States. However, there are no Indian languages ​​in the top 10. And since home language is the strongest predictor of assimilation, you still have a long way to go before your group approaches the assimilation level of American Indians.”

Turcios had previously criticized the H-1B visa program, claiming that Indian immigrants were “invading” cities like Frisco, Texas. He is among several conservative figures who have expressed concerns about the visa regime, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Meanwhile, there are many prominent figures in the Trump administration who follow Hinduism. Former DOGE leader Vivek Ramaswamy, National Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel and Second Lady and wife of US Vice President Usha Vance.

Last year, Republican leader Alexander Duncan faced criticism for his derogatory remarks against Lord Hanuman. He asked, “Why do we allow a false statue of a false Hindu god here in Texas? We are a Christian nation!”

The statue in question is the Statue of Union, a 90-foot-tall bronze statue of Hanuman at the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, an installation meant to symbolize devotion, strength and unity. There is another statue of Lord Hanuman in Delaware which is 25 feet tall and was installed in 2020. This statue was shipped from Warangal in Telangana.

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