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Rep.-elect Jace Yarbrough, a Republican from Texas, is set to enter Congress on Jan. 3 with an agenda to sharply restrict immigration and preserve what he describes as the “Christian heritage” of the United States, though he doubts the incoming Democratic majorities in both chambers will be willing to work with him.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Yarbrough repeatedly denounced mass migration and said he’d be in favor of “stopping immigration altogether for a time because of how insane this has gotten.”
He argued the U.S. is admitting far too many immigrants, including individuals he described as “avowedly anti-American” or connected to international terrorist groups.
He also said he’d support repealing the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, which abolished the national-origins quota system that favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe while severely restricting immigration from Asia, Africa and other parts of the world.
Rep.-elect Jace Yarbrough, R-Texas, arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 9, 2026, in Washington, D.C., for new member orientation. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Asked whether he supported restoring national-origin quotas, Yarbrough instead advocated for a merit-based immigration system. Currently, most green cards are issued through family-based immigration, in which U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents sponsor eligible relatives. A much smaller share is issued based on employment qualifications and skills.
“You have to justify why it is that you are going to make our country stronger,” Yarbrough said. “You have to prove that you want to be a part of this thing. You’re going to forswear allegiance to your old country.”
Yarbrough also expressed concerns about the spread of Sharia law, the Islamic religious legal system that he argued was “completely incompatible” with American values.
“We’re not thoughtful about whether or not certain cultures are compatible with ours,” he said. “My job as a member of Congress … is to fight for us and be unapologetic about the richness of our history.”
When asked to provide examples of what he has previously described as the “Islamification of Texas,” Yarbrough pointed to a lawsuit filed last year by the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), a North Texas mosque.
People arrive at the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) mosque to attend Friday prayers, in Plano, Texas, on April 11, 2025. (Ronaldo Scheimidt / AFP via Getty Images)
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The EPIC mosque is located near Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, which Yarbrough will be representing in Congress.
“That mosque sued a group of Christian street preachers for preaching the gospel on public sidewalks near the mosque. And that’s an example of the kind of anti-American Sharia supremacist behavior, activity, and ideology that I’m talking about,” Yarbrough said.
In Oct. 2025, the mosque sued Testimonies of God, a Texas-based Baptist ministry, alleging that its members used microphones and bullhorns to disrupt Friday prayer services in violation of the city’s noise ordinance. Videos posted to the ministry’s social media accounts show its members preaching near the mosque over a period of several months.
Plano police records show officers responded to a criminal trespass complaint at the mosque in May, though the log does not identify those involved or indicate whether a citation was issued. A judge dismissed EPIC’s lawsuit in March under Texas’ anti-SLAPP law, but the mosque appealed, and the case remains pending.
Muslims pray inside the East Plano Islamic Center’s mosque on April 11, 2025. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP via Getty Images)
Yarbrough’s concerns about EPIC are similar to those of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who repeatedly accused the mosque of attempting to establish a community governed by Sharia law.
But while Abbott lost his re-election bid to Democrat Gina Hinojosa, Yarbrough won his race with just over 51% of the vote, capturing a seat previously held by a Democrat as his party suffered sweeping losses nationwide.
Yarbrough’s victory was aided by a 2025 redistricting effort that transformed the 32nd District from a Democratic stronghold into a Republican-leaning seat by adding several conservative rural counties east of Dallas.
Yarbrough, however, credited his win to his unwavering embrace of the “America First” agenda, arguing that Republicans should resist calls to moderate despite the party’s poor performance in the midterms.
Yarbrough won his race despite statewide candidates losing across the board in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott, seen giving a concession speech on Nov. 3, 2026, was defeated by Texas state Representative Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat. (Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)
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He did acknowledge that some of his younger constituents were upset over the Iran war, with some of them expressing frustration that the conflict had contributed to higher gas prices.
“I didn’t run away from any of the policy convictions of the America First movement,” Yarbrough said. “Obviously, that resonated with them because we were one of the few spots where Republicans were able to hold a seat and even gain a seat.”
Yarbrough, a Stanford-educated attorney, served four years on active duty in the Air Force before transitioning to the reserve in 2015. He currently holds the rank of major and spends about five weeks a year serving at Space Systems Command at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
His decision to run for office was driven largely by his belief that the military and institutions where he studied and worked as a lawyer had become increasingly hostile to conservative values.
Come January, Jace Yarbrough will represent Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, which was redrawn last year to favor Republicans. (Jace Yarbrough for Congress)
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The consequences he faced after his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine on the “strong advice” of his doctor further pushed him toward a career in politics.
That decision earned him a formal reprimand from the Air Force, according to Yarbrough. He also said he resigned from Baker Botts, a prominent Texas law firm, the day before its vaccination policy took effect, which he said would have prevented him from entering the office without proof of vaccination.
Baker Botts did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
“The left just kept coming after me,” Yarbrough said. “I finally decided, well, if they’re not going to leave me alone, then upon evaluation, maybe it’s my job to go and and fight to make them stop.”
During a candidate forum in February, Yarbrough bluntly said, “I have no interest in representing Democrats,” while talking about his vehement disagreement with COVID-19 vaccine mandates employers implemented during the height of the pandemic.
Jace Yarbrough poses for a photo with his wife, Elizabeth. (Jace Yarbrough for Congress)
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When asked about those comments, Yarbrough told Fox News Digital that he will represent the people of his district “whether they voted for me or not.”
Yarbrough argued that many Texans who voted for Democrats were actually Republicans frustrated with their party, rather than supporters of progressive policies he considers extreme.
As he prepares to take office, Yarbrough said he was skeptical he’ll find much common ground with his fellow Democrats in the House, who will steer the legislative priorities of the chamber for the next two years.
“It seems like they’re going to be primarily interested in weaponizing, as they have several times in the past, whatever levers of power they’ve been given to try and go after … members of the first family and the administration,” he said.
Still, Yarbrough said he’d be ready to work with anyone who wants to prioritize the interests of American citizens.
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