Talarico pitches border security plan backed by local sheriffs

Flanked by a bipartisan group of sheriffs and other elected officials, James Talarico unveiled his agenda for border security.

SANDERSON, Texas — James Talarico unveiled his border security agenda Monday in the Trans-Pecos region, joined by local elected officials and law enforcement leaders. During the press conference, Talarico criticized the Trump administration’s plans to build a border wall through Big Bend National Park, a proposal that has generated bipartisan outrage.

Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a Republican who endorsed Talarico’s border security agenda, was the first speaker at the press conference. “Whether someone is Republican, Democrat, independent, or anything else, our job is the same: to serve, protect, and treat every person with fairness, dignity, and respect,” Cleveland said. “At the end of the day, we’re all human. That’s something that will always matter more than party lines.”

Billy Bartko, a local small business owner, spoke next about his perspective on border security and the safety of the region. “First of all, we live in the safest part of Texas,” Bartko explained. “The narrative that we hear about how dangerous and what a crisis the border is, is a complete fabrication.” Mr. Bartko’s company Far Flung Adventures provides a variety of travel-related services for visitors and vacationers in Big Bend National Park along the border with Mexico.

Sheriff Joe F. Martinez was the last speaker before Talarico. He criticized the Trump administration’s approach to border security and its spending priorities. “Spending billions and billions of dollars is not the answer. We have a broken system that hasn’t been fixed for generations,” Martinez said. Martinez, a conservative Democrat, said he supports Talarico’s border security plan. “I’m here in support of this movement to protect this beautiful countryside,” he said.

James Talarico took his opportunity at the press conference to position himself as a maverick within his own party. “Both parties have failed us on the border. No one wants open borders. And no one wants this multi-billion dollar monument to corruption running through Big Bend,” Talarico said. “We need commonsense border security policies like hiring more border patrol agents and deporting violent criminals — not sweetheart, no bid contracts that waste billions on a wall where a natural barrier already exists.”

Given the amount of disinformation surrounding this race and Talarico’s position on border security, this press conference awarded him an opportunity to explain his position to Texans as more and more voters are introduced to him. Ken Paxton has also been airing deceitfully edited clips of his opponent that make it seem like Talarico supports open borders, likely motivating him to clarify his positions before a statewide audience.

With this press conference, Talarico demonstrated yet again that he can build a coalition that unites Democrats, Republicans, and independents behind a Texas-focused vision for the future. In an age of bitter partisanship and political polarization, James Talarico reminds us that the right message can build a populist political movement, even in a state as big and diverse as Texas.