WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Several Democratic lawmakers have condemned a social media post by Texas Republican Bo French that targeted South Asian students at a University of Texas football game. The lawmakers called the post xenophobic and said such rhetoric has no place in American communities.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng of New York joined Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, Ami Bera of California, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Ro Khanna of California, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Shri Thanedar of Michigan in issuing the statement.
French, a Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, drew criticism after sharing a photo of South Asian students celebrating during a University of Texas football game. The post prompted accusations of racism and renewed concerns about online attacks targeting Asian Americans.
The lawmakers said the students appeared to be enjoying a normal moment of celebration. They argued that the post unfairly singled them out because of their South Asian background.
“We are outraged by the blatantly xenophobic social media post,” the lawmakers said in their joint statement. They also urged political candidates and elected officials to reject racist rhetoric.
The lawmakers connected the incident to broader concerns about anti-South Asian hate. They cited data from Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks incidents involving Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
According to the group, South Asians accounted for 71% of anti-Asian threats of violence recorded between August 2024 and December 2025 in online spaces linked to targeted violence. The lawmakers said the figure highlights the growing concerns faced by South Asian Americans.
The lawmakers said Americans should not judge another person’s identity or belonging based on skin color. They also stressed that political candidates should set a higher standard for public discussion.
French’s post has therefore become part of a wider discussion about political speech and racial rhetoric. Supporters of free expression often defend broad political debate, while critics argue that public figures should consider the impact of statements that target racial or ethnic groups.
The lawmakers did not call for a specific legal action against French. Instead, they urged candidates, elected officials and members of the public to speak out against racist and xenophobic language.
They also emphasized that young people should be able to attend sporting events and celebrate with friends without becoming targets because of their appearance or heritage.
They said Americans should continue to challenge hate and demand responsible conduct from political leaders. They also called for a broader understanding of what it means to be American.
