Talarico Says Illegal Immigrant Students Are The ‘Most Patriotic’

James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, claimed Thursday that the “undocumented students” he previously taught were the “most patriotic.”

Talarico, who previously taught sixth-grade language arts at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, made the remarks during a live taping of The Bulwark podcast in Dallas with host Tim Miller, where he also criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a “secret police” force.

“I taught a lot of undocumented students, and those students tended to be my most patriotic students,” Talarico said.

“They understood something about this country that a lot of us who are native born forget. That this is supposed to be the land of opportunity, that this is supposed to be the place where dreams come true, and they believed that in their bones. And they believed in this country even when this country didn’t believe in them,” he added.

James Talarico claims his illegal immigrant students were more patriotic than American-born ones:

“I taught a lot of undocumented students. Those students tended to be my most patriotic students.”

This is apparently the message he’s going with to Texas parents. pic.twitter.com/jBWwv7P5F1

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 20, 2026

Talarico has made similar comments glorifying illegal immigration in the past. In a resurfaced clip from a January Democratic primary debate, he said the U.S. southern border should function like a “front porch.”

“Our southern border should be like our front porch; there should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door,” Talarico said.

Talarico’s campaign website also states: “Most of us agree on what should happen. Our border should be like a front porch — it should have a welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.”

It adds: “We can both welcome the stranger — refugees, asylum seekers, and folks who want to contribute to our economy and pursue the American dream — and we can keep people out who mean to do us harm.”

In another past clip, Talarico said individuals who commit violent crimes “should be deported immediately,” while arguing that law enforcement resources should not be focused on “hard-working members of our community.”