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Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, said after a June 2026 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Texas should not recognize as citizens babies born in the United States to undocumented parents. He also called for the denaturalization and deportation of Texas state Rep. Salman Bhojani, a naturalized U.S. citizen, and has separately called for state Rep. Gene Wu to be deported. Published reporting has also attributed to French a call to denaturalize and deport Wu.
On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants and people in the country on temporary visas. The Court held that children born on American soil to undocumented parents are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision was 6-3.
French responded the same day on X:
“The correct response to the traitorous decision today on anchor babies is nullification. Texas can just do things and we should. Texas is sovereign. If I have anything to say about it, Texas will not recognize them as citizens.”
The Texas Tribune reproduced that statement and linked to French's post.
On August 11, 2025, while serving as chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party, French wrote on X:
“I am officially calling on @RealTomHoman to denaturalize and deport Pakistan born, anti-American democrat, #txlege quorum breaking, @realDonaldTrump's agenda hating, redistricting blocking @SalmanBhojaniTX. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
KERA News and Fort Worth Report reproduced the post.
Bhojani is a naturalized U.S. citizen. His official Texas House biography says he was born in Pakistan, immigrated to Texas as a teenager, became a naturalized citizen, and later became one of the first Muslims and first South Asians to serve in the Texas Legislature.
KERA and Fort Worth Report said Bhojani had traveled to Pakistan for a family emergency. French accused him of trying to “further jihad” and published streets and cities where he said Bhojani owned property. Bhojani told the outlets that his family was receiving threats.
French has also targeted Texas House Democratic leader Gene Wu.
The Texas Tribune reported on September 18, 2026 that French had called for Wu's deportation. A Texas Observer report published September 3 said French had specifically taken aim at Bhojani and Wu by calling for both state representatives to be denaturalized and deported.
A Houston Chronicle column published February 26, 2026 likewise said French had demanded that President Trump denaturalize and deport Wu.
The Fourteenth Amendment says that people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to U.S. jurisdiction, are citizens of the United States and of the state where they live.
In Trump v. Barbara, the Supreme Court held in June 2026 that children born in the United States to undocumented parents are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Denaturalization is a federal legal process governed by specific statutory grounds. Under 8 U.S.C. 1451, naturalization may be revoked when it was illegally procured or obtained through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. The Justice Department describes the same statutory grounds in its 2026 denaturalization cases. The statute cited here does not list political disagreement, religion, or ordinary travel as standalone grounds for denaturalization.
French drew criticism from Republican officials before his Railroad Commission nomination.
After he posted a poll asking whether Jews or Muslims were the bigger threat to America, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote:
“Bo French's words do not reflect my values nor the values of the Republican Party. Antisemitism and religious bigotry have no place in Texas.”
Patrick called for French to resign as Tarrant County GOP chair.
After French won the Republican Railroad Commission nomination, Republican support changed. The Texas Tribune reported on September 18, 2026 that Gov. Greg Abbott and the Republican Party unified around French after the primary, while U.S. Sen. John Cornyn later said he would not vote for French. The same Tribune report noted French's earlier call to denaturalize and deport a naturalized state lawmaker and his call for Wu's deportation.
The Texas Railroad Commission regulates oil and natural gas, pipelines, natural gas utilities, LP-gas, critical natural-gas infrastructure, and coal and uranium surface mining.
Citizenship, naturalization, and immigration status are not among the agency's listed responsibilities. In its June 30 report on French's birthright-citizenship comments, The Texas Tribune stated that the Commission has no bearing on immigration issues and that its commissioners cannot make decisions affecting a person's immigration status.
After the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship in June 2026, French called the decision “traitorous,” urged “nullification,” and wrote that if he had anything to say about it, “Texas will not recognize them as citizens.”
Yes. He called for state Rep. Salman Bhojani, a naturalized U.S. citizen, to be “denaturalized and deported.” The Texas Tribune also reported that French called for state Rep. Gene Wu's deportation, and the Texas Observer reported that French had called for both Bhojani and Wu to be denaturalized and deported.
Federal law provides specific grounds for revoking naturalization, including illegal procurement, concealment of a material fact, or willful misrepresentation. Denaturalization is handled through federal legal proceedings, not by the Texas Railroad Commission.
He is the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission. The Commission regulates major parts of Texas energy and natural-resource activity, not citizenship or immigration status.
Election Day is November 3, 2026.
The ruling on birthright citizenship.
Report on the Supreme Court ruling.
Report on French's response to the ruling.
French's post; the quotation is also reproduced by The Texas Tribune.
Report on French's post about Rep. Salman Bhojani.
Report on French's post about Rep. Salman Bhojani.
Rep. Salman Bhojani biography.
Report on French's call for Rep. Gene Wu's deportation, and on Republican reaction.
Report on calls to denaturalize and deport both state representatives.
Chris Tomlinson column (commentary, not straight-news reporting).
Fourteenth Amendment Citizenship Clause.
Revocation of naturalization.
2026 denaturalization cases.
About Us.
Authority and Jurisdiction.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's response.
2026 November General Election.