During a 2019 interview following a visit to border enforcement, James Talarico, candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, said he gauged the suitability of immigration detention facilities based on how he would treat his own family.

«I think I was struck by the conditions these folks were being held in,» Talarico said.

«When I first walked in, I looked at one of the security monitors and saw these things strewn around the floor, and I realized they were human beings being held in these tiny rooms. The standard I use is: would I allow my child, my parent, my grandparent to be held in one of these facilities? And the answer, after my visit, was a resounding no,» Talarico said.

His resurfaced comments continue to raise questions about his views on border policy as he looks to flip a Republican-held Senate seat in Texas.

PROGRESSIVE TALARICO KNIFES BIDEN’S OPEN BORDER, TRIES MODERATING STANCE ON KEY ISSUES IN TEXAS SENATE RACE

During his campaign, Talarico has drawn scrutiny for walking a tightrope between traditionally Democratic criticisms on President Donald Trump’s border enforcement measures and appearing too soft on border policy.

Like progressives in the party, Talarico has called on lawmakers to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has characterized voter ID requirements as a method to rig elections and, in the past, even criticized President Barack Obama’s record on immigration.

In one 2019 remark, Talarico famously called Obama the «deporter-in-chief.»

His past comments have left some observers believing his record makes the case for him.

«There is a very concerning pattern with James Talarico siding with pedophiles, criminal illegal aliens and cartels while slandering the brave men and women of law enforcement who keep Texans safe,» Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in a statement, referring to detentions highlighted by the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE ARRESTS 15 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH CONVICTIONS INCLUDING HOMICIDE, RAPE AND CHILD SEX CRIMES OVER WEEKEND

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Baltimore Field Officer director Matt Elliston listens during a briefing, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

«Talarico is a true radical and fully committed to defunding the police, knocking down President Trump’s border wall and welcoming millions of illegal aliens into America,» Kraft added.

At the same time, Talarico has voiced concern about the government’s effective use of resources on the border and whether its investments are being reflected in its detention operations.

He raised the issue in the 2019 interview.

«How are we spending close to a billion dollars every year on border security when these border patrol agents told us firsthand they didn’t have the resources, basic logistical items that would help the situation better for them and for the people being held?» Talarico said.

Talarico argued that poor standards don’t speak to individual facility needs but rather reflect broader problems with immigration enforcement.

«This is not a matter of some bad apples at a Border Patrol station. This is a systemic problem that even the Border Patrol agents identified as something morally wrong and something that needed to be solved,» Talarico said in an interview.

«I believe this is a statewide problem; this is a stain on all of our reputations. It violates a lot of the values we have as Texans.»

Texas spent roughly $800 million on border security in 2019, according to the state’s legislative budget board.

TALARICO MAKES STUNNING CLAIM ABOUT WHY HE THINKS TEXAS ELECTIONS AREN’T ‘FREE AND FAIR’

A cactus and sign mark the entrance to the Eloy Detention Facility for illegal immigrants on July 30, 2010.

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When pressed for more details about Talarico’s ideal detainment conditions a reality, his campaign pointed to his border security plan he recently unveiled.

«James supports stronger border security and safe, secure, and humane detention facilities. He’s the only candidate in this race to unveil a border security agenda endorsed by Republicans and Democrats that will add more border patrol agents and improve technology at the border to better detect threats. For too long, both parties have failed our border communities by grandstanding on the issue instead of finding real solutions. James is running for Senate to keep our country safe by deporting criminals instead of locking up moms, babies and small business owners who have been contributing to our economy for decades,» a campaign spokesperson said.

Having secured the Democratic nomination, Talarico will face Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3 general election.

El arbitraje salvadoreño volvió a escribir una página de oro en la historia del fútbol internacional. En un acto de reconocimiento encabezado por el presidente de la Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol (Fesfut), Yamil Bukele, los colegiados Iván Barton y David Morán compartieron sus vivencias, aprendizajes y el costado más humano de su destacada labor en la Copa del Mundo 2026, donde alcanzaron la histórica instancia de semifinales.

Infobae estuvo presente en el auditorio de la federación durante la cobertura de esta emotiva ceremonia, donde además se anunció un incentivo económico de 2.500 dólares para cada uno de los réferis.

Más allá de los reconocimientos monetarios y los récords estadísticos, las declaraciones recogidas por este medio dejaron al descubierto la enorme carga emocional, la presión extrema y los dolorosos sacrificios personales que exige mantenerse en la cima del arbitraje de alto rendimiento.

Uno de los momentos más desgarradores y de mayor sensibilidad durante la conferencia ocurrió cuando el árbitro asistente David Morán tomó la palabra. Frente a los medios de comunicación e invitados especiales, Morán relató el que, sin duda alguna, fue el desafío más complejo de toda su vida profesional y personal. Mientras un país entero celebraba cada una de sus apariciones en las canchas mundialistas, el colegiado atravesaba por un duelo desgarrador en absoluto silencio.

Justo en los días previos a encarar su segundo compromiso del torneo, Morán recibió la trágica noticia del fallecimiento de su suegro, una persona a quien consideraba como un pilar fundamental en su vida. Lejos de su patria y sin la posibilidad inmediata de abrazar a los suyos en un instante tan devastador, el asistente salvadoreño tuvo que sobreponerse al dolor para vestir la vestimenta oficial y salir a rendir al máximo nivel exigido por FIFA.

“Luego salir a la cancha con el corazón destrozado, pero sabiendo la responsabilidad que llevamos, quiero dedicar sin duda este triunfo a mi familia, que son el principal soporte para poder alcanzar lo que se ha alcanzado”, confesó Morán visiblemente conmovido.

A pesar de que los reglamentos del organismo internacional le permitían solicitar un vuelo de retorno de emergencia para acompañar a su familia, Morán decidió permanecer en la concentración. Iván Barton no dudó en alabar la fortaleza mental de su compañero de equipo durante la sesión de preguntas recogida por Infobae, revelando que no sabían qué pasaría con la terna si él decidía marcharse, pero que el profesionalismo de Morán salvaguardó el trabajo de años.

Por su parte, el árbitro principal Iván Barton abordó la complejidad de la profesión arbitral y la gigantesca responsabilidad de portar el acrónimo de El Salvador (SLV) ante los ojos del mundo entero. Barton, quien inició su intervención bromeando sobre los nervios que sentía en el podio asegurando que eran mayores a los experimentados antes de pitar la semifinal mundialista, profundizó en cómo lidian los jueces con la abrumadora presión mediática y la constante exigencia del público.

Para el réferi central, dirigir al más alto nivel equivale a convivir constantemente con el riesgo de caer en el descrédito ante la primera falla, en una metáfora tan clara como contundente sobre la vulnerabilidad del árbitro en el terreno de juego.

“Un árbitro, cada vez que entramos a cada partido, yo siempre he dicho que hago una analogía. Es como que si vamos y ponemos nuestra cabeza justo con la guillotina arriba. Aquí está mi cabeza y tengo que sobrevivir 90 minutos o lo que dure, sabiendo que en cualquier momento esa guillotina puede caer.

¿Qué tan fuerte voy a ser para resistir y no morir ahí? Mientras existan las ganas, esa pasión de seguir ejerciendo esta linda profesión, vamos a seguir dando lo mejor para seguir estando en la élite”, reflexiono Barton ante los micrófonos.

El réferi salvadoreño también recordó con mucha nostalgia el momento exacto en el que les comunicaron la designación para dirigir la semifinal. Confesó que tanto él como Morán daban por sentado que ese partido le correspondería a una terna europea y que él ya se encontraba revisando su itinerario de vuelo de regreso a San Salvador.

“Cuando hubo una pausa que tomaron el documento para leer las designaciones, yo saqué mi teléfono y dije: ‘Bueno, mi vuelo ha sido para mañana, así que yo voy mañana’. Y cuando escucho mi nombre, realmente creo que es el momento más dulce. Cuando se dijo mi apellido para la semifinal, sobre todo por el calibre de juego que significaba”, relató.

Respecto a las críticas y declaraciones despectivas emitidas por figuras internacionales durante el desarrollo del torneo como las del entrenador francés Didier Deschamps, Barton se mostró imperturbable y maduro frente a las cámaras de Infobae:

“Él tiene derecho a tener su opinión, pero a nosotros no nos designan basados en la opinión de un técnico, a nosotros no nos designan basados en la opinión de una red social. Lo digo con mucho respeto, porque al final en las redes sociales cada quien va a tener su opinión, pero al final del día lo que a nosotros nos interesa es cumplir técnicamente. Te respeto que digas que soy malo, más no que soy deshonesto”, sentenció enfáticamente.

La actuación de la dupla Barton-Morán no solo llena de orgullo a la afición salvadoreña, sino que los posiciona de manera indiscutible como la terna arbitral centroamericana con mayor recorrido, partidos dirigidos y trascendencia en toda la historia de las Copas del Mundo.

De cara al futuro, ambos colegiados coincidieron ante las preguntas de la prensa en que la única fórmula para sostenerse en la élite es mantener la humildad, el trabajo diario en los entrenamientos y la plena disposición de volcar todo ese aprendizaje internacional en la profesionalización de la liga local y las nuevas generaciones de réferis en El Salvador.

Disapproval of President Donald Trump’s handling of Iran hit a record high in July, as a majority of voters oppose U.S. military action, and nearly two thirds think the conflict will last at least a year.

The latest Fox News survey finds 56% oppose U.S. military action against Iran, including 40% who «strongly» oppose. More Democrats oppose the war (84%) than Republicans support it (76%).

FOX NEWS POLL: A CLOSE SENATE CONTEST IS BREWING IN IOWA

Voters increasingly expect a long-term commitment. Today, 64% think the war will last a year or more, up 13 percentage points since May. Expectations vary sharply depending on attitudes toward the Iran war. Among supporters, 56% think it will be over in weeks or months, while 80% of opponents expect it to last at least a year.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS WANT MAJOR CHANGE AMID ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DISCONTENT

There is also doubt the conflict will produce an agreement. About half think the U.S. will not reach a deal with Iran, while the rest split between expecting a good deal (27%) and a bad one (25%).

Roughly half of Democrats, Republicans, and independents predict there will be no agreement with the Islamic Republic. Among those anticipating a deal, Democrats are 20 points more likely to expect a bad one, while Republicans are 27 points more likely to expect a good one.

Just 34% of voters approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, while 66% disapprove, his worst marks to date.

Trump’s overall standing remains steady, but underwater. Thirty-nine percent approve of his job performance, unchanged for the past three months. Sixty-one percent disapprove, tying a previous high. That includes 49% who «strongly» disapprove, matching a record high.

For historical context, Trump’s best rating, 49% approve and 49% disapprove, came in April 2020. His current 39% approval is close to former President Joe Biden’s 40% (July 2022) and former President Barack Obama’s 42% (July 2014), during the summer of a midterm election year.

Trump continues to receive some of his strongest support from MAGA Republicans (97% approve) and conservatives (72%). But compared to June, his approval has declined to a near record low among rural voters (down 7 points to 44%) and an all-time low among White voters (down 3 points to 41%).

Yet the largest change comes among non-MAGA Republicans. Their support has fallen 13 points since last month to 51% approval, after hitting 70% at the beginning of Trump’s second term.

Trump’s ratings are also underwater on the economy (33% approve, 67% disapprove) and inflation (27-73%).

Republicans lose advantage on immigration

Voters are now divided over which party can better handle immigration: 50% say the Democrats and 49% the Republicans, a meaningful shift since April, when the GOP held an 8-point advantage. Women and voters under age 45 prefer the Democrats on immigration, while men and those ages 45 and older favor the Republicans.

«During the Biden administration years, immigration attitudes were often defined by border security considerations,» says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who works on the Fox News Poll with Democratic counterpart Chris Anderson. «Today, immigration enforcement and ICE often dominate, eroding the GOP’s edge on the issue.»

Immigration remains Trump’s best performing issue in the survey, but his rating is still negative: 42% approve, while 57% disapprove.

Views of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) follow a similar pattern. ICE approval stands at 41%, unchanged since early this year but down from 49% last September.

Majorities of Democrats (90%) and independents (68%) disapprove of ICE, while most Republicans approve (79%). Fully 78% of Democrats, and 50% of independents «strongly» disapprove, compared with 53% of Republicans who «strongly» approve.

Few voters support allowing all illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. Just 7% take that position, including 11% of Democrats, 5% of independents, and 2% of Republicans.

Instead, 62% favor deporting those who have been charged with crimes while allowing others to stay and eventually qualify for citizenship. That position draws majority support from every demographic group except Republicans (39%), conservatives (41%), and White evangelical Christians (48%).

Thirty-one percent favor deporting all illegal immigrants, with support highest among MAGA Republicans at 68%.

When asked about their concerns about illegal immigration, voters are most worried about the strain on government services (39%). Smaller shares cite crime (19%), job losses for U.S. citizens (14%), changes to the country’s culture (13%), and terrorism (10%).

Overburdened government programs rank as the top concern across demographic groups. College graduates, those living in high income households, suburban voters and independents are among those most likely to cite it.

The immigration findings also reveal a consistent divide within the Republican Party. ICE approval is 91% among MAGA Republicans compared with 59% among other Republicans, one of the widest gaps in the survey.

A similar split appears in ratings of Trump’s handling of immigration, with 91% of MAGA Republicans approving compared with 63% of other Republicans. MAGA Republicans are also nearly 30 points more likely to favor deporting all illegal immigrants (68% vs. 41%).

Conducted July 17–20, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (70) and cellphones (681) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (252). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. The survey includes an oversample of 200 voters aged 18–29, bringing the sample size for that subgroup to 350 (±5). Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling errors, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.