Texas state Rep. James Talarico outlined a sharply critical view of federal immigration enforcement during a Democratic U.S. Senate primary debate hosted by the Texas AFL-CIO, calling for major changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and urging the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The debate featured Democratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the Senate seat and focused heavily on border security, deportations and how Democrats should approach immigration policy in a state where the issue remains politically central.
Asked how he would balance immigration enforcement with voters who support deportations, Talarico cited his family’s background and argued Texans have a distinct perspective on the issue.
“My family is from the border. My mom grew up in Laredo, Texas,” he said. “Texans understand this issue of immigration more so than people in other states because we live with it — both the benefits and the challenges.”
Talarico then described how he believes the border should function.
“Our southern border should be like our front porch,” he said. “There should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door. We can welcome immigrants who want to live the American dream. We can build a pathway to citizenship for those neighbors who have been here making us richer and stronger. And we can keep out people who mean to do us harm.”
James Talarico is Illegals First, Texans Last
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 24, 2026
MODERATOR: How do you balance your feelings toward ICE vs Texans who support deporting illegals?
TALARICO: "Our southern border should be like our front porch… we can build a pathway to citizenship." pic.twitter.com/qkcI4MulyF
Later in the debate, moderators pressed Talarico on whether he would abolish or defund ICE. He accused the agency of abuses and called for it to be replaced.
“ICE shot a mother in the face. ICE kidnapped a five-year-old boy. ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning,” Talarico said. “It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.”
He also called for investigations into ICE leadership and agents.
“We need to impeach Kristi Noem. We need to prosecute agents who’ve abused their power,” he said. “We have to haul these masked men before Congress so the world can see their faces.”
Talarico argued that immigration enforcement should prioritize organized crime rather than undocumented families and long-established residents.
James Talarico: “ICE shot a mother in the face. ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy. ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is gonna focus on public safety. We… pic.twitter.com/AqozSvKY5G
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) January 24, 2026
“We should be cracking down on the cartels, not our communities,” he said. “We should be prosecuting gang members, not small business owners. We should be hunting down human traffickers, not moms and babies.”
When asked whether he would support cutting funding for ICE, Talarico pointed to recent increases in the agency’s budget and said resources should be redirected.
“We have seen this historic increase in funding for ICE. That money has come out of our healthcare,” he said. “We should take that money back and put it in our communities where it belongs.”
The exchange highlighted divisions within the Democratic field over how to approach immigration policy while remaining competitive statewide, as candidates seek to balance humanitarian concerns with border security and public safety.
