Rising Texas Republican Bo French, a candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, has called for the mass deportation of 100 million people from the United States, describing the figure as necessary to address what he sees as profound impacts from immigration on the country.
We have to deport 100 million people. I am the first person who started using that figure a couple years ago. They all must go.
— Bo French (@BoFrenchTX) February 24, 2026
French made the statement in a social media post responding to statistics highlighting welfare usage among immigrant-headed households. The original post noted that 53 percent of such households receive welfare benefits, 21 percent get cash assistance, 35 percent use food assistance, and 40 percent are on Medicaid, with many households enrolled in multiple programs. It concluded that America needs mass deportations. French replied, “We have to deport 100 million people. I am the first person who started using that figure a couple years ago. They all must go.”
In a follow-up reply, French elaborated on the breakdown, writing, “50 million illegals. 55 million visa holders. 50 million anchor babies. That is the real number, but I’ll take 100 million. Appreciate the work you are doing.” The comments frame his position as encompassing not only undocumented immigrants but also legal visa holders and individuals he refers to as anchor babies, a term often used to describe children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents.
50 million illegals. 55 million visa holders. 50 million anchor babies. That is the real number, but I'll take 100 million. Appreciate the work you are doing.
— Bo French (@BoFrenchTX) February 24, 2026
French, who previously served as chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party from 2023 until he resigned in November 2025 to pursue statewide office, has consistently emphasized strict immigration restrictions in his public statements. His views align with a broader critique of post-1965 immigration policies. In earlier posts, he highlighted the period from 1925 to 1965 as a time when the United States was “most amazing, safe, and prosperous” with “almost zero immigration,” attributing restrictive laws like the Immigration Act of 1924 and lower annual arrivals during events such as the Great Depression to those conditions. He has contrasted that era with the subsequent decades, when legal immigration increased significantly after the 1965 reforms that ended national origin quotas, often exceeding one million admissions annually.
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
French’s immigration-related remarks have positioned him as a vocal figure within conservative circles, particularly on issues of national identity, public resources, and generational priorities. He has referenced the U.S. Constitution’s preamble, which speaks to securing blessings “to ourselves and our posterity,” to argue against policies that he believes dilute those protections. His statements have also touched on perceived cultural and safety shifts, including claims that some neighborhoods have been transformed in ways he describes negatively.
The Texas Railroad Commission seat French is seeking will be decided in the March 3, 2026, Republican primary, where he faces incumbent Chair Jim Wright and other challengers including Katherine Culbert, Hawk Dunlap, and James Matlock. Despite its name, the commission regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, pipeline safety, and aspects of energy production, making it a powerful body in Texas’s economy. The primary is part of the state’s election calendar, with voter registration deadlines and polling information available through the Texas Secretary of State’s office and local county administrators.
French’s call for deporting 100 million people—roughly one-third of the U.S. population—comes amid ongoing national debates over immigration enforcement, border security, and the costs and benefits of various visa programs. His figure appears to combine estimates of undocumented immigrants, legal temporary and permanent visa holders, and U.S.-born children of immigrants, though official population data and immigration statistics vary widely from such totals. The proposal has drawn attention as the Republican primary approaches, reflecting divisions within the party on how aggressively to address immigration concerns.
