Democratic Senate Candidate Referred to Undocumented Immigrants as ‘Constituents,’ Advised on Avoiding ICE

Texas Democratic Senate Candidate’s Past Immigration Stance Draws Scrutiny

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, faces renewed scrutiny over social media posts from 2019 in which he shared information helping undocumented immigrants avoid detention during immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration.

The posts, which have resurfaced during his high-profile Senate campaign, included a graphic from United We Dream, an activist organization that advocates for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Talarico’s shared graphic encouraged undocumented individuals not to open their doors to authorities, avoid signing documentation without legal representation, document ICE agents by taking photos, and “fight back.”

“Undocumented Americans are folks who work in our businesses, learn in our schools and contribute to our communities — but lack citizenship documentation,” Talarico wrote in the 2019 X post. “As a Texas legislator, they’re also my constituents.”

The timing of Talarico’s posts coincided with a significant spike in border apprehensions. CBP data shows that July 2019 saw 81,000 apprehensions along the Southwest border, double the 40,000 recorded in July 2018. Earlier that year, in May 2019, apprehensions had peaked at 144,000 as migrants fleeing instability and violence in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador sought entry into the United States.

Talarico’s campaign has responded to questions about these posts by emphasizing his current position on immigration enforcement priorities.

“James has been clear that we should be spending precious law enforcement resources cracking down on the cartels, not our communities; deporting gang members, not small business owners; and hunting down human traffickers, not moms and babies,” campaign spokesperson JT Ennis said in a statement.

Critics, however, have characterized Talarico’s past statements as indicative of more permissive immigration views than he currently projects. Republican National Committee representative Zach Kraft claimed that “James Talarico stands with dangerous criminal illegal aliens, not law enforcement” and described him as “an open borders lunatic.”

Talarico, who recently defeated progressive candidate Jasmine Crockett in a contentious Democratic primary, has described his current immigration stance using a metaphor: “Our border should be like a front porch — it should have a welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.”

His campaign website outlines several immigration policies, including increasing ICE resources for public safety and national security, banning masks for ICE agents, creating legalization pathways for certain undocumented immigrants, hiring more immigration judges, and modernizing security at ports of entry.

The Democratic candidate now faces a general election challenge in November. Should he win, Talarico would become Texas’ first Democratic senator since Bob Krueger briefly held the position in 1993. His Republican opponent will be determined following a runoff between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The immigration debate has become particularly contentious in Texas, which shares the longest stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border and has been at the center of national disputes over border enforcement policies. The state’s Republican leadership, including Governor Greg Abbott, has implemented aggressive measures such as Operation Lone Star, deploying state resources to supplement federal border enforcement.

Talarico’s campaign maintains that his immigration policies reflect mainstream Texan values. “While James fights for immigration policies a majority of Texans support, Cornyn, Paxton, and the billionaires who prop them up are trying to smear James because this people-powered movement is a threat to their wealth and power,” his campaign stated.

Voters will decide between Talarico and his Republican challenger on November 3, 2025, in a race that could significantly impact the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.