Open Letter to President Donald J. Trump, President-Elect JD Vance, Governor Greg Abbott, Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr, and Tulsi Gabbard

Subject: Seeking Justice and Legislative Support for Texas Spanish and Mexican Land Grant Heirs

Dear President Trump, President-Elect Vance, Governor Greg Abbott, Mr. Musk, Donald Trump Jr., and Ms. Gabbard,

On behalf of the over 45,000 descendants of the original Spanish and Mexican land grantees in Texas, we write to you with an earnest appeal for justice and support. For decades, the heirs to these land grants have faced insurmountable barriers in their pursuit of rightful claims to mineral royalties from their ancestral lands. These lands, rich with oil and gas resources, have generated billions in royalties—funds to which the heirs are entitled but have largely never received due to legal and political obstructions.

Our struggle is more than an issue of royalties. Our lands have been stolen from us through murder, fraud, corruption, and political chicanery, often at the hands of powerful interests who capitalized on a lack of legal protection for land grant heirs during the early oil boom. Many of these abuses are documented in public records and highlighted in investigative works, such as this exposé, which uncovers decades of unlawful practices that have targeted and dispossessed our communities.

The complexity of our plight stems from the lack of a clear legal and legislative framework in Texas, which has systematically allowed oil and gas royalties to be absorbed into the state’s general fund rather than to the rightful heirs. Even our attorney, Eileen McKenzie Fowler, defrauded us of millions, promising legal solutions that ultimately led to further financial losses and wasted efforts. Many legal experts, assert that these royalties legally belong to the heirs under state and federal law. 

Many heirs have already been certified as rightful descendants of their land grants through obtained declaratory judgments.   

Without a clear legal framework to pursue these claims, the heirs remain unable to secure justice or compensation. 

Efforts to enforce justice through both federal and state litigation have yielded no resolution. As detailed on our website www.spanishlandgrantheirs.com and evidenced by the 1986 Getty Compromise Settlement (C-85-335), substantial funds remain unaccounted for, and the rightful owners are left without recourse.

We are asking for your support in initiating legislative action to address these injustices:

1. Establish Federal and State Legislation – Other states like New Mexico and California with similar land grant histories have implemented laws to facilitate heir claims to royalties. We urge Congress to consider enacting a federal law that provides clear pathways for descendants to claim their inheritance. Additionally, we seek your influence in urging Texas lawmakers to pass laws that would ensure fair and equitable distribution of mineral rights royalties to heirs in Texas. Following next year's legislative session, our team will be engaging with lawmakers to bring this important issue to the forefront. By working together, we can promote a more just and sustainable energy policy that benefits not only landowners but also future generations.
2. Renewed oversight - In 2013, Texas enacted HB724, a bill designed to investigate unclaimed mineral proceeds tied to Spanish and Mexican land grants. However, the bill's implementation proved ineffective due to a lack of genuine commitment from the appointed commission. Under Governor Rick Perry, the commission primarily consisted of attorneys from oil and gas companies, who prioritized industry interests over those of the heirs. Renewed federal oversight or a fresh commitment at the state level could initiate similar efforts to finally deliver long-overdue justice to land grant heirs.
3. Support for Transparency and Accountability—Heirs deserve to know how royalties have been managed and distributed by the state. Transparency in the handling of these funds is crucial to restoring trust and ensuring that this history of mismanagement does not continue. We seek your support to demand accountability in the handling and distribution of these funds, ensuring that they reach the families to whom they rightfully belong. Oversight is also needed.
4. New Legislation to Cover All Mineral Rights Claims - Our push for new legislation aims to secure all types of unclaimed mineral royalties—especially those categorized as "Type 1" and "Type 2." Current Texas laws address mineral rights generally, but they do not provide a legal framework for heirs to claim unclaimed or abandoned mineral royalties. Without these laws, heirs face automatic rejections in court, as there is no legal basis for judges to approve such claims. "Type 2" royalties refer to unclaimed funds from wells without known titleholders, dating back to 1980, and were the primary focus of previous efforts by the heir's. However, recent legal counsel has clarified that "Type 1" royalties—those abandoned by their original titleholders—may also be within reach due to our declaratory judgments, which verify our heir status. This is a crucial point: Type 1 royalties are legally recognized and supported by existing laws, strengthening our claims, yet past efforts neglected this potential pathway. New legislation would establish a legal mechanism for heirs to claim both Type 1 and Type 2 unclaimed royalties, ensuring that our verified heir status is honored and that rightful royalties are distributed to heirs. By addressing all unclaimed mineral rights, we can finally secure compensation that reflects the full value of our inheritance.
5. Legislation to appropriate money from the general fund to the state comptroller To ensure that unclaimed royalties are distributed fairly and efficiently, we should enact legislation that grants the State Comptroller access to all royalties paid into the state of Texas. This would enable the comptroller to identify and notify heirs who have a legitimate claim to these funds, provided they can demonstrate their descent through documented evidence. By utilizing declaratory judgments as the primary method for establishing lineal descent from an heirs land grant(s), we can provide a clear and efficient process for resolving these claims. Furthermore, to support the successful implementation of this legislation, we should also consider appropriating funds from the general fund to the State Comptroller. This dedicated funding would enable the comptroller to handle the administrative tasks associated with processing and distributing unclaimed royalties, ensuring that these funds are utilized effectively and efficiently.
6. Accurate reporting and audits with oversight: In addition, to further address the issue of unclaimed mineral rights, we need to establish a more robust process for identifying and resolving claims related to land grants. The current reporting and filing processes with the TRRC are plagued by a number of issues, including inaccuracies, unreported revenues, and incomplete records. This legislation would help to address these problems, ensuring that the state receives accurate and complete information about mineral rights and royalties, and that rightful claimants are able to recover their fair share of these funds. Specifically, we should:
   1. Develop legislation that allows land surveys conducted as part of a land grant to be accepted as evidence in cases where unclaimed mineral rights are being pursued
   2. Include provisions in the law that permit surveys from all oil, gas, and minerals extracted from a land grant to be accepted into the records with the Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC), thereby reducing the likelihood of errors or omissions
   3. Mandate regular audits by the TRRC to ensure that oil and gas companies are accurately reporting their production, revenue, and other relevant data to the state.
   4. Ensure that any discrepancies or inaccuracies discovered during these audits are promptly investigated and resolved, holding companies accountable for any errors or misrepresentations in their filings
   5. Ensure oversight from the State and / or federal level as well as possible third parties.
       

Each of you has shown dedication to justice, equity, and transparency. President Trump and President-Elect Vance, Governor Greg Abbott,  your commitment to championing voices that have long been ignored is critical to our cause. 

Mr. Musk, Donald Trump Jr, and Ms. Gabbard, your advocacy for innovation, fairness, and social accountability aligns with our struggle for a fair, lawful resolution. With your support, we believe that these long-standing wrongs can finally be addressed, and rightful compensation restored to the families whose lands built and sustained Texas.

We respectfully ask you to stand with us, amplify our cause, and join us in the pursuit of justice for the heirs of Texas’s Spanish and Mexican land grants. Together, we can help ensure that these long-silenced voices are finally heard, and their rights acknowledged.

Sincerely,

The Voice of Change Network

Representing 45,000+ Spanish and Mexican Land Grant Heirs

Note: To maintain anonymity, we have gathered a private collection of petition signatures from the thousands of heirs we represent, honoring their request for confidentiality due to concerns about potential adversaries. (Please note that our public petition may or may not reflect the full scope of our full membership).

For more information, please visit www.spanishlandgrantheirs.com

Ref:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQzU4gQ_OgQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_V6xjprIrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-MhktP6YyM