A swastika and a profane message directed at ICE were discovered painted on the exterior of a historic building at Rio Vista Farm in Socorro, prompting Mayor Rudy Cruz Jr. to publicly condemn the vandalism and call on anyone with information to come forward. Cruz shared a photo of the graffiti, which showed the hateful symbol alongside the words “F*** ICE” scrawled across the landmark's wall.
City officials said the vandalism occurred at Rio Vista Farm, according to CBS4Local. In a social media post, Cruz did not mince words about what he saw. “I will not tolerate hate, racism, or the vandalism of our historic sites,” he wrote, according to the outlet's report. He also told KTSM 9 News the act was “disgusting, disgraceful, and completely unacceptable.”
Mayor Draws a Line Between Speech and Hate
Cruz, addressing the hateful graffiti directly, made clear he sees a distinction between protected expression and what happened at Rio Vista Farm. He said people have a right to express their opinions, but argued that defacing a historic site with hateful graffiti is not an exercise of free speech. The mayor said the vandalism showed a disregard for history, heritage, and the broader community, and insisted historical sites should be protected rather than used as a canvas for hate.
He added that he would not allow hate to become normalized or allow it to define Socorro. Cruz encouraged anyone with information about those responsible to report it to the proper authorities, and per KVIA, he said he expects the matter to be taken seriously. KVIA also reported that the graffiti has since been covered up.
A Landmark Tied to the Bracero Program
The building targeted by the vandalism sits on a site with deep historical significance. Rio Vista Farm was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 13, 2023, recognizing its critical role in U.S. history as a major processing center for the Bracero Program, the same CBS4Local report notes. The designation reflects the farm's place in the story of Mexican agricultural laborers who passed through the site during that era, a history Socorro has worked to preserve and restore, as previously detailed by NBC News.
KTSM 9 News reported that it reached out to city officials to ask whether police are investigating the vandalism and said it would update its story as more information becomes available. The station also noted it edited the mayor's original photo to blur the swastika and the profanity before publishing it.
