Overview
- Fox News and other conservative outlets on Sunday, August 9, 2026 published a June 2023 interview clip in which James Talarico says his church housed an undocumented mother and son who were close to deportation by ICE.
- In the same clip Talarico is heard saying “Christianity is just another word for causing trouble” and criticizing what he called a “Christo-fascism” movement tied to policies such as Ten Commandments displays, school chaplains, vouchers, bans on sex-change treatments for minors, and the state abortion ban.
- Republican operatives including the RNC and the Paxton campaign amplified the footage to attack Talarico’s record and religious credibility, framing the remarks as evidence of extreme views on faith and immigration.
- The Talarico campaign pushed back, calling him a Presbyterian seminarian who follows Jesus’ teachings, saying the clip is being mischaracterized and reiterating his stated support for law enforcement, stronger border security, and deporting violent offenders and traffickers.
- The episode adds a new flashpoint to the competitive Texas Senate race, where recent polling cited in the coverage shows a close contest and both sides are expected to use the resurfaced remarks in coming weeks; the controversy follows earlier reports of Talarico’s unconventional religious comments during the campaign.