Texas billboard ‘welcomes everyone’ in response to another telling ‘liberals’ to leave the state

A resident said he crowdfunded the new sign to 'represent the true, hospitable spirit of the great state of Texas'

A new billboard in Texas has grabbed the attention of readers with the saying: "Texas is for everyone - not for bigotry" as tensions in the state rise over immigrants fleeing violence cross the US-Mexico border illegally.

The large sign in Amarillo, Texas, was a response to another billboard on the same I-40 highway near the town of Vega, Texas, which read: "Liberals please continue on I-40 until you have left our GREAT STATE OF TEXAS".

The new digital sign was crowdfunded by resident Roman Leal. He raised more than $3,700 in just five days for the sign when his original goal was $1,800. "We need a sign that represents the true, hospitable spirit of the great state of Texas," he wrote in the campaign.

The original billboard, owned by a company called Burkett Outdoor Advertising, has since taken it down and issued a refund to the customer who ordered it after a massive social media reaction. The customer's identity has not been revealed.

Mr Leal had written that the new digital sign gave Texans "a chance to put our best boot forward" as drivers pass it on the east-west highway in the northwestern, panhandle part of the state.

The state has been historically Republican and political tensions have increased once again over the immigration policies of Donald Trump's administration. The government had been separating children from families if they had crossed the US-Mexico border illegally.

That policy was reversed late last week after public outrage coming from both sides of the political spectrum but families are still being detained despite seeking asylum in the US, which is not a crime under American immigration law.

"Meeting the campaign goal will keep the billboard up for 4 weeks. Any contributions exceeding the goal will be used to pay for a longer duration," Mr Leal wrote.