State senator fires back after Nevada GOP takes aim at family’s immigration status
The Nevada Republican Party escalated a social media discussion about immigration and the temporary closure of Broadacres Marketplace by alerting federal officials about the legal status of family members of a Democratic state legislator.
“Just a heads up, this state senator has bragged about having illegals in his family,” the party wrote on X about Sen. Fabian Doñate, D-Las Vegas. “Every elected official and government employee should be a mandated reporter to ICE — no shelter for illegal aliens!”
Hey @ICEgov @KristiNoem @DHSgov @Kash_Patel just a heads up, this state senator has bragged about having illegals in his family.
Every elected official and government employee should be a mandated reporter to ICE - no shelter for illegal aliens! https://t.co/x9W63TiZrQ pic.twitter.com/HagzHy8Tgh
— Nevada GOP (@NVGOP) June 24, 2025
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel were tagged in the post Tuesday, which included a quote Doñate gave to a media outlet in 2023, saying that he had undocumented family members with no access to health care.
An inquiry to the FBI and DHS on whether the agency heads take into account tips sent to their personal social media accounts was not returned.
“To me, their message was more about separation of a family,” Doñate told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday. “It’s saddening that we have arrived to this moment that the state party is being reckless and nobody is holding them accountable,” he added.
The Nevada Republican Party did not respond to messages seeking additional comment but doubled down when U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., condemned the post on X.
“Calling for a Nevada legislator’s family to be torn apart and targeted for deportation is a disgusting new low, even for the @NVGOP,” Rosen wrote. “I strongly condemn this type of divisive rhetoric and call on others to do the same.”
The state party responded: “Spare us the crocodile tears Jacky. You’re a keyboard warrior, but won’t do anything to stop the criminal invasion of Nevada. If you make the laws, you need to follow the law. Every elected official should be a mandated reporter to ICE. Try fighting for Americans for a change!”
The party included a graphic that depicts Uncle Sam asking the community to “report all foreign invaders,” which included ICE’s contact information.
Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo chastised personal attacks.
“Attacking people’s families should be off limits in politics,” Lombardo said in a statement to the Review-Journal.” I won’t do it, and I don’t condone it.”
He said the state will continue obeying federal laws and cooperating with immigration authorities.
“Protecting our communities from crime is vital to the small businesses that drive our state’s economy. Those who say otherwise are presenting a false choice,” Lombardo said.
‘Cruel and un-American’
In a collaborative news release, progressive groups on Thursday spoke in support of Doñate.
“Not only do we have to fight cruel and un-American anti-immigrant policies, but now we’re seeing crowd-sourced witch-hunts reminiscent of 1930s Germany,” wrote Laura Martin, executive director of the Progressive Alliance of Nevada Action Fund, in the statement.
Added Leo Murrieta, executive director of Make the Road Action Nevada: “These attacks on a State Senator, reportedly driven by members of the Nevada Republican Party, are not just threats to one family — they are part of a broader pattern of intimidation and anti-immigrant rhetoric meant to silence those who fight for the well-being of the state as a whole.”
Doñate, a U.S. citizen, characterized the state party’s remarks as a threat. He said he was disappointed that Republican colleagues hadn’t decried them.
The discussion began when Doñate reacted to a post from the party in which it commented on the temporary closure of the popular swap meet last weekend.
The North Las Vegas market said it was closing its doors for an indefinite amount of time after community members raised concerns about ICE enforcement operations in the valley.
“If you can’t stay open without illegal aliens, you don’t deserve to be open at all,” the state party commented.
Doñate described the party as “anti-business and anti-economic development.”
That’s when the party wrote about Doñate’s family members.
“Listen, folks who know me know I’m always willing to work across the aisle, including members of @NVGOP,” Doñate wrote. “Always open to meeting with our federal leaders to push for a pathway to citizenship and comprehensive immigration reform — the kind even President Bush once proposed.”
Doñate told the Review-Journal that the party had campaigned at Broadacres in the runup to the 2024 election and described their remarks as hypocritical.
“I will continue to fight regardless of the political backlash that I get,” he said.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Staff writer Jessica Hill contributed to this report.
