Two University of Texas at Austin students, featured in a social media post by Republican nominee Bo French that shamed them for their skin tone while celebrating a football victory, have spoken out against the candidate's remarks. French, who is running for the Texas Railroad Commission, posted a photo of cheering students to his X account on Sunday, following UT Austin's win against The Ohio State University. He commented that Texas institutions have been "overrun by illegal aliens and foreign nationals."
However, the two students pictured, Dhairya Gupta and Rahul Kodali, both 21, are American citizens. Gupta, a computer science major, told The Dallas Morning News that the celebration turned into an environment of "blatantly racist" commentary. Kodali, also a computer science major, stated that their heritage does not change their American identity, asserting, "I’ve been an American my entire life."
Kodali was born in Syracuse, New York, and moved to Dallas with his family when he was young. He graduated from a Texas high school and receives in-state tuition at UT Austin. Gupta became a U.S. citizen in childhood after his family immigrated from India when he was five years old. Both students expressed their desire to attend games to support their team, not for any political cause.
UT Austin, which has a diverse student body of 44,000, requires that 90 percent of each incoming class be Texas residents, with 10 percent being international or out-of-state students. The university also automatically admits students who graduate in the top five percent of their high school class, as per state law.
UT Austin President Jim Davis responded to the incident on X, stating, "Our students are exceptional. All of them are Longhorns." Kevin P. Eltife, Chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in all Longhorn students.
Several Texas Republicans have urged French to delete his post. Senator John Cornyn called for condemnation of the rhetoric, warning that such intolerance threatens the future of the GOP. State Representative Jared Patterson described the post as "racist" and "wrong without reservation," emphasizing that targeting young students at a football game based on their skin color is unacceptable. Patterson also noted that the Texas Railroad Commission's responsibilities do not involve federal immigration policy.
Despite the criticism, French doubled down on his remarks on The Mark Davis Show, asserting that American students should be prioritized over international students at educational institutions. He maintained that his comments were not racist but rather a point about favoring Texans and Americans over foreigners.