SouthernWorldwide.com – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is facing strong criticism for his absence during a crucial vote on a Texas bill aimed at punishing violent criminals. This criticism comes in the wake of a disturbing incident where a young girl was strangled to death.
Talarico, a member of the Texas House of Representatives in 2025, was not present for the final vote on a bill known as “Jocelyn’s Law.” This legislation was named in honor of Jocelyn Nungaray, a preteen from Houston who was tragically murdered.
The bill proposed a Texas constitutional amendment that would have automatically denied bail to undocumented immigrants charged with violent felonies. Unfortunately, the measure failed to pass due to a lack of bipartisan support.
Prior to his absence from the final vote, Talarico had voted against proposals to kill amendments to the bill. These amendments would have provided exemptions for immigrants present in the country under specific humanitarian statuses, such as parole, pending green card applications, or protections for victims of trafficking and the Violence Against Women Act.
Talarico is now facing considerable backlash for his decision. He is currently running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, a state significantly impacted by issues related to undocumented immigration and crime.
Jocelyn Nungaray, 12 years old, was allegedly sexually assaulted and strangled in Houston in June 2024. Authorities have charged two Venezuelan nationals, who were allegedly in the U.S. illegally, with capital murder in connection with her death.
Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, sharply criticized Talarico’s actions. Kraft stated that Talarico’s absence effectively contributed to the bill’s failure, calling it a “disgusting” display of an “anti-American agenda” that sides with a “violent illegal over a Texas family.”
The article also references that the District Attorney intends to seek the death penalty against the undocumented immigrants accused of Nungaray’s murder.
Talarico’s campaign has responded to the criticism. A spokesperson for Talarico, Ennis, stated that while incumbent Senator John Cornyn and challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, along with their supporters, are misrepresenting Talarico’s record, he will continue to advocate for reform against a “broken, corrupt political system.”
Texas has borne a significant burden from the border crisis during the Biden administration.
Prosecutors have detailed that Nungaray was abducted, sexually assaulted, and then strangled. Her body was discovered in a creek drainage area. The two individuals charged, Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, are Venezuelan nationals who were reportedly in the U.S. illegally.
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The article notes that Talarico has been portrayed as a media darling among Texas Democrats, but suggests that aspirations for the state to turn blue have not materialized.
Reports indicate that prior to Nungaray’s murder, the two accused men had an encounter with U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, in early 2024. However, they were reportedly released on their own recognizance into the United States under the Biden administration. The murder occurred just months after their alleged illegal entry.
Data compiled by the House Homeland Security Committee towards the end of the Biden administration indicated over 10.8 million border encounters and approximately two million known gotaways during that period.
Amidst this context, Talarico has been accused of being lenient on crime and supportive of defunding the police, claims he has vehemently denied as false.
During his tenure in the Texas House, Talarico also voted against the Damon Allen Act. This bill aimed to restrict bail for certain offenders and was named in honor of Texas state trooper Damon Allen, who was killed by a repeat offender who was out on bail.
In 2021, Talarico also opposed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have denied bail to individuals accused of violent sexual offenses or trafficking.
The article also mentions that Governor Abbott has extended an “off-ramp” for New York billionaires fleeing policies associated with a figure named Mamdani.
Regarding immigration, Talarico has faced scrutiny for remarks made in 2019. He stated then that “undocumented Americans” were “also my constituents.”
In a graphic shared by United We Dream, an advocacy group that supports abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Talarico reportedly encouraged individuals not to open their doors to federal immigration agents. He advised them not to sign any documents without legal counsel and to “fight back.”
