A 90-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman at Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas, has stirred controversy. Carlos Turcios, a conservative Republican activist from Dallas-Fort Worth, posted a video on X claiming “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. It is the tallest Hanuman statue in North America and symbolizes strength, devotion, and peace, according to temple officials. Indian-Americans quickly responded to Turcios’ claims. One wrote, “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 highlighted Indian-American assimilation, stating, “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 a history of opposing H-1B visas and calling Indian immigrants an “invasion” in places like Frisco, Texas. Other political figures, including Nikki Haley's son Nalin Haley, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, have also criticized the H-1B visa system, claiming it exploits domestic workers. Several prominent figures linked to the Trump administration follow Hinduism, such as former DOGE leader Vivek Ramaswamy, National Intelligence official Tulsi Gabbard, FBI director Kash Patel, and Second Lady Usha Vance. Despite the online controversy, the Hanuman statue remains a vital cultural and religious landmark for the Indian-American community in Texas. The temple continues to welcome visitors, celebrating its role as a spiritual hub of peace and devotion.