6 July 31 - August 6, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents and in this country are manufactured by wealthy special interests who want us fight- ing each other instead of fighting them,” Ta- larico says, and the crowd screams in ap- proval. “They divide us by race, by gender, by culture, by religion. They work so hard to keep us from seeing all that we have in com- mon. They work so hard to keep us from re- alizing that there is far more that unites us than divides us.” Talarico will give the same speech, about division and unity, right and wrong, and what it means to be a Christian who em- braces the idea of loving one’s neighbor, again in about 20 minutes at the bar the next block over. So many people registered for the event that an overflow venue wasn’t an ambitious “what if” scenario, but a necessity. As soon as Talarico finishes speaking, an especially devoted portion of the crowd funnels out of the bar and into the one down the road, hop- ing to see the speech twice. “He’s just so impressive, you know?” says one woman to her gaggle of friends. A member of the Talarico campaign told the Observer they’re “thrilled” with the turnout for the event. For more than a thousand people to attend a rally on a weekday, a rally for a state representative who isn’t from the area in a non-election year, is virtually unheard of. The campaign staffer said there was interest in the event when it was first announced, but registra- tions “skyrocketed” after the Rogan pod- cast was released. “This is a phenomenon,” he says, sweaty from running between the two bars. “Two thousand years ago, when that barefoot rabbi saw the powerful few abusing the many, he walked into the seat of power and flipped over the tables of injustice,” Ta- larico says at the end of his speech. “His love rose to meet abuse without becoming it. To those who love democracy, to those who love our neighbors, it’s time to start flipping tables.” Turning Texas Blue This isn’t the first or the second time a young, up-and-coming Democrat has branded themselves as the fresh new face Texas needs to finally swing blue. But when Talarico speaks, there isn’t an ounce of cyni- cism in the room. As the hype surrounding Talarico has grown, many have urged him to consider a run for a higher office. In the Texas House, Democrats are outranked 62 to 88, which makes it nearly impossible for Democratic priorities to get passed with- out wrangling Republican support, Ta- larico told Rogan. At the end of the hours-long conversation, the podcaster went as far as to tell Talarico he should run for president of the United States. “We need someone who is actually a good person,” Rogan said. Still, addressing reporters Tuesday eve- ning, Talarico says he is focused on serving the constituents who elected him to the Capitol. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that, a few days ago, someone registered the internet domain name “TalaricoForSenate.com.” The landing page tells visitors it’s “Launching Soon.” For Eddie Delgado, an organizer with In- divisible Fort Worth, a chapter of the na- tional organization Indivisible, which helped put together Cowtown’s “No Kings” parade, Talarico represents a “big piece of the puzzle” for Democrats moving forward. Delgado wore a Zohran Mamdani T-shirt to the rally and said he believes the New York City mayoral hopeful and Talarico represent the party’s future. “It feels like the establishment Demo- crats and the ones that have been here for a very long time almost have this air about them of looking down at the people,” Del- gado told the Observer. “And [Talarico] looks at it, from my experience and what I’ve learned about him, as how can I help the people, kind of like Zohran [Mamdani]. … Talarico, Zohran, they’re making it about the people.” Like seemingly everyone else in atten- dance, Delgado also found himself impressed with Talarico’s appearance on Rogan. As Talarico finished his second speech delivery at a bar called Scruffy Duffies, a line had formed that wrapped around the build- ing. It was 95 degrees outside, but the people wanted a photo with Talarico. When he emerges from the pub, they cheer, and even more people spill out into the line of Texans hoping to shake the representative’s hand and share their story. Delgado was anxious to meet Talarico — he wanted to ask him to come to Fort Worth next. Later, Talarico told the Observer that it was young people like Delgado whom he was hoping to reach by going on Rogan’s podcast. Part of the whole “meeting people where they are” thing that politicians always say but rarely do. With a laugh, he admitted that he was ner- vous in the days leading up to his Rogan de- but. “It’s a two-and-a-half-hour interview; I wasn’t given a list of topics. I mean, I was go- ing in blind. And that’s scary for anybody,” Talarico said. “But this moment of crisis calls for people with courage who are will- ing to get outside their comfort zone and have difficult conversations with people who may not agree with you, and that’s what I try to do.” ▼ IMMIGRATION IN DENTENTION WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NORTH TEXAS DETENTION CENTERS. BY ALYSSA FIELDS T he FBI arrested a suspect from an apartment in far north Dallas re- cently in connection with an ambush shooting attack at an Alvaredo Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center over the Fourth of July weekend. According to authorities, the shooting was an orchestrated attack, reportedly to vi- olently protest “fascism.” As of July 16, 15 people had been taken into custody for their roles in the ambush at Prairieland Detention Center, about 35 miles south of Dallas. “This escalation in violence is incompre- hensible, and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons in a July 8 press release. “This is precisely what we have been warning against, as disinfor- mation and dangerous politically motivated rhetoric spreads.” The man accused of being the shooter was Benjamin Hanil Song, who was arrested at Meadowcrest Apartments on July 15. Here’s everything you need to know about the four detention centers servicing the Dal- las ICE Field Office. General Information According to ICE’s website, 21 detention cen- ters are scattered across the state. Each center has rules regarding visitation hours, what you can bring into the center and whether you can touch an inmate you are visiting. Upon arrest, ICE officers distribute an eight- or nine-digit identifier known as an A-number. Immigrants who have filed a citi- zenship application will already have an A- number. Plugging an A-number into the federal database search tool will provide in- formation about where someone is held. It’s recommended to call the detention center to coordinate visitation. Bluebonnet Detention Center 325-823-8031 400 2nd St., Anson 200+ miles from Dallas Capacity: 1,000+ In the news: Hundreds of Venezuelan immi- grants, allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Agua gang, were scheduled to be deported from the Bluebonnet Detention Center to Venezuela. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a class action lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on behalf of the detainees, claiming the men had not been granted proper notice or a fair trial. Due process, or the right to a fair trial or hearing, is granted by the Consti- tution regardless of a person’s legal citizen- ship status. The case is still pending. Eden Detention Center 325- 869-2704 704 E. Broadway St, Eden 250+ miles from Dallas Capacity: 660+ In the news: Over half of the Eden Detention Center is used as a low-security prison man- aged by the U.S. Marshals Service. In the ‘90s, a string of successful peaceful protests unveiled improper prison conditions and significantly improved inmates’ quality of life. Twice, protests demanded that Mexican cuisine be served in the cafeteria for the mostly Hispanic prison population. They were successful both times. Another time, less peacefully, a cafeteria food fight, which caused $250,000 in damages, successfully won the addition of more vegetables to in- mates’ dinners. In 1991, another food protest escalated to a riot, which was de-escalated by allowing prisoners access to X-rated ma- terials. Since the turn of the century, the prison population has calmed, though there were a few gang fights in the early 2000s and a final riot in 2010. Prarieland Detention Center 817- 409-3995 1209 Sunflower Lane, Alvaredo 35+ miles from Dallas Capacity: 700+ In the news: Ward Sakeik, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, was detained at the Prairieland Detention Cen- ter after being bounced across the country following international travel. Sakeik, born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian refugees, has lived in the United States since she was 8 years old, but is not a legal resident of any country. She has an active green card appli- cation. Following 3,000 signatures and the involvement of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Sakeik was released in early July after months of detention. Rolling Plains Detention Center 940-864-6200 118 County Road 206, Haskell 190+ miles from Dallas Capacity: 500+ In the news: This facility closed in March 2017 because of staffing shortages. Reports at the time revealed the center was 45 em- ployees short of a full staff. It reopened in October 2018 with an equal number of em- ployees, but the community praised the “new job opportunities.” All 555 beds were filled within months of reopening. Unfair Park from p4 Emma Ruby More than 1,400 people registered to see the latest Democratic dream, state Rep. James Talarico, speak in Collin County.
