Dad of ‘Abolish ICE’ Dem Profits From Texas Border Security
New York congressional candidate Claire Valdez campaigns to abolish ICE while her father works for a firm that has built Border Patrol facilities in Texas.
Socialist congressional hopeful Claire Valdez, who is competing for New York’s 7th Congressional District with backing from Zohran Mamdani, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, has prominently pledged to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement and open America’s borders, according to New York Post.
What Valdez has not highlighted on the campaign trail is that her father, Larry Valdez, works as a civil engineer for Parkhill Smith & Cooper, a firm that has secured multiple contracts to build and enhance Border Patrol facilities across western Texas.
Border Facility Contracts
The engineering company employed Valdez’s father during the execution of a $172,000 contract in 2009 to construct a sprawling 74-acre border enforcement facility in Marfa, Texas. Two years later, the firm returned to the site to install more than $72,000 in security upgrades to what is now known as the Big Bend facility.
That same facility has become a key deployment site under President Donald Trump‘s border enforcement strategy. The Trump administration deployed 500 soldiers to Big Bend in 2025, contributing to a 74% drop in apprehensions compared to the prior two fiscal years.
Campaign Platform vs. Family Business
Valdez’s campaign website explicitly states that she will fight to dismantle and abolish ICE and push for immigration reform that would legalize millions of undocumented immigrants. Her platform lists “Abolish ICE and Protect Immigrants” among her core policy priorities.
Parkhill Smith & Cooper’s own website highlights additional work for the Department of Homeland Security, including the Falcon Lakes Project in Norman, Oklahoma, which required strict security clearances and operated under technology restrictions such as drone prohibitions.
Larry Valdez is listed as the longest-tenured employee at the firm, which operates more than a dozen offices with hundreds of staff members.
Candidate Responds
In response to questions, Claire Valdez defended her father’s career and insisted he was not involved in the specific border projects cited. She said his work over the past 25 years focused primarily on regional airports, though she did not address a photograph showing him alongside a Customs and Border Protection aircraft.
Valdez maintained that she is proud of her father and stands by her opposition to what she characterizes as inhumane immigration policies under Trump.
High-Stakes Primary Race
Valdez is running against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who has endorsed Reynoso as her preferred successor. The contentious primary has reportedly created a political rift between Velázquez and Mamdani, who were previously allies.
With information from New York Post
