Texas Congressional Candidate Sparks Uproar After Calling for a Detention Camp for "American Zionists"

An unusual political storm is shaking the Democratic Party in the United States after a series of extreme remarks by Maureen Galindo, a candidate for the House of Representatives from Texas’s 35th District, just days before a significant round of elections. The statements, which included antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories, drew sharp responses from senior party figures at both the state and federal levels.

The focus of the backlash was a post she published on her Instagram account, in which she laid out an extreme plan to use existing federal detention facilities. In the post, referring to herself in the third person, she wrote: "Maureen Galindo will turn the ICE detention center in Karnes into a prison for American Zionists and for former immigration officers on charges of human trafficking."

In additional social media posts, Galindo attacked her primary opponent, Jonny Garcia, who previously served as a hostage-release negotiator and as a public information officer in the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. Galindo claimed that her rival wanted "to store Jews and Mexicans in warehouses," and added another allegation that "Zionist billionaires" control the trafficking networks of San Antonio and South Texas.

After the remarks triggered a wave of condemnation, Galindo tried to push back against the accusations in an interview with Texas Public Radio: "I’m not antisemitic," she said, adding: I’m simply opposed to Zionist Jews. When I said that the Jews who own Hollywood do this, do all Jews own Hollywood? No. Zionist Jews do. Zionist Jews own our media, our banks, and all our politicians."

The controversy prompted strong reactions from within the Democratic Party itself. Texas State Representative James Talarico, who is considered the party’s leading candidate for the United States Senate, announced that he would not agree to appear with her or support her if she wins. In a statement to the Jewish News Syndicate, he said: "This antisemitic rhetoric has absolutely no place in our politics. We need leaders in both parties who are willing to stand up and call hate by its name wherever it rears its ugly head."

Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida called on party leadership to issue an unequivocal condemnation, writing on his X account: "For the first time, a current political candidate is proposing concentration camps for American Jews. This should be national news!" Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego also joined the criticism, saying: "Galindo must never be allowed to hold public office."