GOP Candidate Criticized for Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

Texas Republican candidate Bo French has drawn criticism for remarks made on social media about the demographic makeup of University of Texas undergraduates. French, who is seeking a statewide office regulating the oil and gas industry, posted a photo of what appeared to be a crowd of Indian-American students cheering at a University of Texas football game, expressing dismay and suggesting foreign students were prioritized over Texans.

"I heard UT graduation this year looked like this," French wrote in his post. "I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined. I weep for the families in Texas who can’t get into UT because they prioritize foreigners over Texans."

His comments were defended by some on the "New Right," but the article argues against this stance. University of Texas at Austin data indicates that over 80% of its undergraduate student body are Texas residents, with foreign students comprising approximately 4% of the freshman class, aligning with national averages. The author suggests French's use of "Texan" was a euphemism for "white."

The article points out that Indian-origin students are "overrepresented" at the university due to Texas's policy of granting automatic admission to the top 5% of graduates from each Texas high school, a system that benefits academically high-achieving students. The author contends that this reflects a meritocratic approach rather than a discriminatory one.

"It seems increasingly clear that a growing contingent of the new right, like the identitarians of the left, craves its own affirmative action," the article states. While acknowledging the legitimacy of national immigration policy and concerns about concentrating immigrants from specific regions, the author distinguishes this from targeting students based on ethnicity or skin color.

Data presented shows that Americans of Indian descent constitute about 1.5% of the U.S. population and 1.8% in Texas. The article highlights their assimilation, with 79% of Indian immigrants proficient in English and high rates of educational attainment, including bachelor's and advanced degrees. Indian-Americans also demonstrate significant economic success, with the highest median household income of any ethnic group and low poverty rates.

The author contrasts the success of Indian immigrants, achieved largely without government assistance, with higher welfare dependency rates among immigrants from certain Middle Eastern and African countries. The article concludes that individuals who adapt to American civic identity, such as by participating in cultural events, are valuable to the nation. It criticizes the notion of "heritage Americans" who use their ancestry to claim superiority, asserting that all naturalized or native-born citizens are Americans judged by their actions.