Texas legislative candidate says he will abolish ICE at Talarico rally

A Democratic candidate for the Texas legislature used a Tuesday rally in Lubbock to propose the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a position that sets his platform apart from that of the state's U.S. Senate nominee.

Malik Williams delivered the remarks during a warmup speech before introducing James Talarico. He told the crowd that the party would legalize and tax cannabis, tax the wealthy, and abolish ICE. "We're gonna abolish ICE," Williams said, drawing loud applause. He added that the group would work to elect Talarico as the next United States Senator from Texas.

Talarico has recently moved away from that specific language. At a joint town hall hosted by CNN and Jubilee, the senatorial nominee stated that he did not support abolishing the agency. "No, and I never have," Talarico said. He argued that the country needs ICE but expressed dissatisfaction with its current operations, describing the past year as a period where the agency acted like a secret police force.

This recent stance differs from comments Talarico made during the January primary debate against Rep. Jasmine Crockett. At that time, Talarico said it was time to tear down ICE. He cited specific incidents, including a claim that agents shot a mother in the face, a report that a five-year-old boy was kidnapped, and an assertion that a man was executed on a street. He proposed replacing the agency with a body focused on public safety and called for agents to testify before Congress.

Public opinion on the agency remains split. A July poll by YouGov and The Economist found that 48% of Americans support abolishing ICE, while 67% of Republicans strongly oppose the idea. A separate February poll by The Texas Politics Project showed that 42% of Texas voters view the agency favorably, compared to 47% who view it unfavorably.

Williams's speech extended beyond immigration. He criticized President Donald Trump and Talarico's Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, calling them embarrassing representatives who support a fascist, racist, rapist, and war criminal. He also voiced opposition to data centers being placed on ranches and farms without community consent. The candidate advocated for increased funding for public education, guaranteed childcare, and expanded healthcare, policies associated with the Democratic Socialists of America.

The campaigns for Talarico, Williams, and Paxton did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the remarks.