Maureen Galindo is a Democratic candidate running in the May 26 runoff for Texas' 35th Congressional District. She faces widespread condemnation over social media posts in which she pledged to convert the Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for "American Zionists" and former ICE officers accused of human trafficking, calling it a "castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists" [1, 2, 3, 4].

Galindo denies being antisemitic, stating she specifically opposes "Zionist Jews," claiming many of them are involved in trafficking and control media, banks, and politicians. She said on Texas Public Radio on May 20 that she "never said I want Jews in internment camps" and wants all ICE detention centers closed, imprisoning only those American Zionists funding "genocidal prison systems" [1, 2, 5, 6]. However, critics interpret her call for imprisonment at an ICE facility as endorsing internment camps, intensifying the controversy [1, 2, 3, 4].

She has also accused her runoff opponent Johnny Garcia of being paid by "Zionist terrorism and trafficking" and supporting policies harmful to Jews and Mexicans [2, 5, 6].

A newly formed super PAC called Lead Left PAC has spent over $900,000 promoting Galindo in the Democratic primary runoff, with more than $600,000 in digital ads. The PAC's donors are unknown, and Democrats allege it has Republican ties aiming to boost a fringe candidate [1, 2, 3, 4]. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, "To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic — and extremely dangerous — rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale" [3]. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the rhetoric "bigoted garbage" and called to expose the Republican donors behind the PAC [3].

Some House Democrats, including Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Josh Gottheimer, have pledged to seek repeated votes to expel Galindo if she wins the seat. Moskowitz said, "I will vote to expel her and force a vote to expel her every single day" [7]. Rep. Ritchie Torres called Galindo "a moral disgrace" unfit for office [4]. Other Democrats have expressed shock or declined to comment publicly on her remarks [4].

The 35th District was redrawn by Texas Republicans to favor GOP candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms [1, 7]. Galindo, a sex therapist and housing advocate from San Antonio, received 29% of the vote in the first primary round, narrowly ahead of Garcia's 27% [2, 3]. Lead Left PAC also ran ads in Pennsylvania and Nebraska Democratic primaries earlier in 2026 [1].

The runoff election between Galindo and Johnny Garcia is scheduled for May 26, 2026. [1, 2, 3, 7]