For Democrat U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico, the November midterms are a nothing but a campaign to moderate his stance on a policy issue that Texans hold dearly: immigration. His long, radical history will make that herculean task nearly impossible.
Talarico’s about-face on the issue came one week ago after the candidate participated in a softball interview overflowing with flip-flops from his progressive past. One of the most notable instances of him retreating from his progressive priors came when he declared himself a “border security Democrat” who had “called out Joe Biden for failing to secure our southern border.”
James Talarico lies and says he is a "border security Democrat."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 8, 2026
Talarico said "we should treat our southern border like our front porch," called to defund law enforcement, slanders ICE as "secret police," and thinks Obama's failed border policy was too extreme. pic.twitter.com/Pk7ttjKVh3
Talarico’s statement was nothing less than a bald-faced lie. Fox News asked the Talarico campaign repeatedly whether or not they could produce any evidence that he had ever made a statement condemning Biden’s border disaster and were unable to. The only Democrat he seems to have ever critiqued for their border policy was President Barack Obama, whom he labeled the “Deporter-in-Chief” because he believed Obama to be too conservative on the issue.
Texas Democrat James Talarico on Barack Obama in 2019:
— Bobby LaValley (@Bobby_LaVallley) March 5, 2026
"President Obama earned the title 'deporter in chief' from immigration rights activists and aggressively expanded drone airstrikes across the world." pic.twitter.com/cCPuNc2bdb
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Evidence does exist, however, of Talarico perhaps being the most radical progressive on immigration policy to run for state-wide office in Texas history. Talarico campaigned for and endorsed San Antonio radical Julian Castro in the 2020 Democrat presidential primaries, labeling Castro as his “hero.”
It was an honor to speak at the campaign kickoff for my hero and our next president: @JulianCastro. Full speech: https://t.co/MiE84pQ6YQ #txlege #Julian2020 pic.twitter.com/4L0EZBp8i1
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) January 14, 2019
Castro was a noted immigration extremist who supported the decriminalization of border crossings and stated that illegal immigration was neither a national security or criminal justice issue. He further called for Trump’s border wall to be deconstructed, begged for taxpayer-funded health care for illegal aliens, and campaigned for a sweeping amnesty and the release of detained illegals. In fact, Castro was unable to name anyone he believed that shouldn’t be allowed into the United States.
Julian Castro claims Democrats do not support open borders, but supports tearing down existing fences and couldn’t name *anyone* he would stop from illegally entering the United States. pic.twitter.com/kGpriOV723
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 14, 2019
Talarico is no stranger to pushing hyper-progressive immigration policy himself. He believes that illegal aliens, whom he refers to as “undocumented Americans,” are “his constituents” and posted educational materials on social media to aid them in evading federal law enforcement. He also stated that you were not a Christian if you did not accept “the stranger seeking asylum at our southern border.”
The Trump Administration is conducting raids to deport thousands of undocumented Americans across our country starting on Sunday. Please RT these graphics from @UNITEDWEDREAM to keep our immigrant neighbors safe. #txlege #FamiliesBelongTogether pic.twitter.com/vZS2Bn0PAX
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 12, 2019
Hi, @papi4481! Thank you for your question. Undocumented Americans are folks who work in our businesses, learn in our schools, and contribute to our communities — but lack citizenship documentation. They are our neighbors, our students, our coworkers, and our friends.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 12, 2019
As a Texas legislator, they’re also my constituents. Like so many immigrants throughout our history, undocumented Americans came to this country for the same simple reasons: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 12, 2019
But unlike some of those historical immigrants, these Americans are trapped in a deeply broken and unjust immigration system. We should work together to fix that system — not deport our neighbors and tear families apart. Thank you again for your question, @papi4481.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 12, 2019
“You can’t call yourself a Christian and deny health care to the sick.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) May 15, 2024
You can’t call yourself a Christian and cut food stamps for the poor.
You can’t call yourself a Christian and reject the stranger seeking asylum.” pic.twitter.com/2rYFcjWvoL
Talarico has also taken aim at President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, precisely the policy that caused Trump to win commandingly in Texas in 2024. Talarico labeled ICE as a “secret police force that is terrorizing communities” and called for a “tearing down” of the agency, and attacked border wall bills.
These bills passed in the regular session earlier this year.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) September 1, 2021
But they weren’t extreme enough for Texas Republicans who have doubled down during this special session by:
✖️ Fueling mass incarceration
✖️ Wasting billions on a border wall
✖️ Censoring free speech on social media
Talarico has just 141 days until the midterm elections to somehow escape his lengthy history as one of the most virulent immigration radicals in the country.
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