Rising Texas Republican Bo French, a candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, drew attention with a series of social media posts claiming that the United States was at its “most amazing, safe, and prosperous” between 1925 and 1965, a period he noted had “almost zero immigration.” French, who previously served as chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party from 2023 until resigning in November 2025 to pursue statewide office, framed his remarks as a critique of modern immigration policies and contemporary political narratives on diversity.
They don't want you to notice how amazing, safe, and prosperous this country was between 1925 and 1965, when there was almost zero immigration. They wasn't you to fall in line and swallow the lie that diversity is our strength while conservatives preen about fighting democrats.
— Bo French (@BoFrenchTX) February 22, 2026
In a key post, French wrote, “They don’t want you to notice how amazing, safe, and prosperous this country was between 1925 and 1965, when there was almost zero immigration. They want you to fall in line and swallow the lie that diversity is our strength while conservatives preen about fighting Democrats.” The statement followed a longer thread in which he traced his argument to the U.S. Constitution, citing the preamble’s reference to securing the nation “to ourselves and our posterity” and questioning when the country shifted toward accepting immigrants from “anywhere in the third world.”
In the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution it says who it was written for.
— Bo French (@BoFrenchTX) February 22, 2026
"to ourselves and our posterity"
In other words, it was for the founding Americans and their descendants. When did we get off track and believe that anyone from anywhere in the third world can come here?
French’s comments reference historical immigration patterns and related social conditions. From 1925 to 1965, immigration to the United States was comparatively low, largely due to restrictive laws such as the Immigration Act of 1924, which imposed strict national origin quotas. Annual legal immigration during this period typically ranged from tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand, with the Great Depression in the 1930s further reducing arrivals. Post‑World War II, the numbers gradually increased but remained moderate, averaging a few hundred thousand per year even into the early 1960s. Available crime data from the same period indicate that violent crime rates were significantly lower than in later decades, with violent crimes at approximately 200 per 100,000 people by 1965, though total crime rose gradually from earlier decades.
In his posts, French contrasted this era with the period from 1985 to 2026, when legal immigration surged. During these four decades, annual admissions frequently exceeded one million, driven by broader visa programs and reforms that ended national origin quotas in 1965. Violent and property crime initially rose in the late 1980s and early 1990s but declined steadily in subsequent decades, with rates by the 2020s lower than at their peak, despite the higher volume of immigrants. French argued that these changes represented a loss of safety, culture, and “posterity,” framing the rise of diversity and inclusion as a threat to American values as he sees them.
French expanded on his concerns in earlier posts, asserting that urban crime, perceived cultural shifts, and ideological threats posed a danger to future generations. He linked these issues to contemporary immigration and political alliances, writing, “Entire neighborhoods have been transformed into third world favelas.” He concluded that Americans must act to defend their country, claiming that both their lives and those of future generations are at stake.
Entire neighborhoods have been transformed into third world favelas. Third worlders, who brought islam, have teamed up with marxists, and now together they openly talk about rounding us all up when they take power and disposing of us.
— Bo French (@BoFrenchTX) February 22, 2026
The comments have drawn attention ahead of the March 3, 2026, Republican primary for the Texas Railroad Commission, where French is among several candidates vying for the seat. His previous leadership role in Tarrant County politics and recent statewide ambitions position him as a prominent figure in the Texas GOP, and his remarks are likely to resonate with some conservative voters while drawing criticism from others.
French’s social media statements come amid ongoing debates over immigration, crime, and cultural identity in the United States. While the mid‑20th century did see relatively low immigration and lower crime rates, the post‑1965 era demonstrates more complex trends, with a sustained increase in immigrants alongside an overall decline in crime since the 1990s. Experts emphasize that these patterns reflect multiple social, economic, and policy factors, rather than a simple cause-and-effect relationship between immigration and public safety. French’s framing highlights how historical periods are often invoked in contemporary political discourse to advance particular narratives about national identity, policy priorities, and generational stakes.
