Background
Bishop Tamayo is the son of Antonio P. Tamayo (1925-2016), a native of Portuguese Isabel in Cameron County, Texas, and Guadalupe B. Tamayo of Laredo.
Bishop Tamayo is the son of Antonio P. Tamayo (1925-2016), a native of Portuguese Isabel in Cameron County, Texas, and Guadalupe B. Tamayo of Laredo.
Bachelor magna cum laude, University St. Thomas, Houston. Master of Arts, University St. Thomas, Houston. Graduate, St. Mary's Seminary, Houston.
He was ordained a priest on July 11, 1976 and consecrated bishop on March 10, 1993. He became auxiliary bishop of Galveston-Houston and titular bishop of Ita. On August 9, 2000, he was installed as the bishop of the newly founded Diocese of Laredo in Webb County in South Texas.
He has a sister, Mistress
Mercy Barrera of Corpus Christi. On September 10, 2008, Tamayo called upon the administration of United States. President George West. Bush to halt work-place raids in search of illegal immigrants.
"We have respect for our enforcement personnel, but these worksite raids are only pitting human beings against each other. We must abandon the raids."
In March 2015, Tamayo was among eighty religious figures who signed a letter to President Barack H. Obama asking that the government halt the practice of detaining families who have come into the United States illegally.
He visited a detention center in Dilley between San Antonio and Laredo and expressed concern for the women being held there, some for a considerable period of time.
In March 2016, Tamayo halted the construction of a Catholic student center at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical International University in Laredo. The Brothers of Saint John, key sponsors of the $4 million-plus project, held a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2013. Tamayo did not attend the groundbreaking.
Nor did he offer an explanation for his opposition to the project, for which hundreds of thousands of preliminary funds have already been disbursed.
State chaplain Catholic Daughters American. State council chaplain Knights of Columbus, Texas. National episcopal advisor Cursillo Movement.
Regional executive board member, member Hispanic committee on scouting Boy Scouts American. Member Leadership Houston. Board directors United Way of Texas Gulf Coast, Houston.
Member finance committee Institute Hispanic Culture. Member of United States Conference Catholic Bishops (subcommittee on Youth of the Secretariat 1996-1999, International Policy committee 1996-1999, committee on Hispanic Affairs since 1999, subcommittee on Hispanic Liturgy since 1999, committee on Pastoral Practices since 1999), United States Catholic Conference, National Conference Catholic Bishops (National Advisory council 1996-1999, Administrative board 1996-1999), United States Reserve Officers Association (life), United States Air Force Association (life).