A Zohran Mamdani-backed Democrat running for Congress in New York has called to “Abolish ICE” — even though her executive dad works for a company fortifying the Texas border.
Socialist Claire Valdez, who is backed by the Big Apple mayor and US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to run in New York’s 7th Congressional District, has pledged on the campaign trail to open up borders and “fight to dismantle and abolish ICE.”
But she has made no mention that her father, Larry Valdez, works for engineering firm Parkhill Smith & Cooper, which has been responsible for a myriad of Border Patrol projects in western Texas — including a $172,000 contract for the build-out of a massive border facility on 74 acres in Marfa in 2009.
Her father’s firm went back in 2011 to add over $72,000 in security upgrades to the site — now known as “Big Bend.” The facility has since become a hotbed for immigration enforcement under President Trump.
The Trump administration sent 500 soldiers to the facilities in 2025, resulting in a 74% decrease in apprehensions from the two previous fiscal years.
Meanwhile, Claire Valdez cites “Abolish ICE and Protect Immigrants” as one of the key issues of her campaign platform.
“In Congress, Claire Valdez will fight to dismantle and abolish ICE. She will push for real immigration reform that legalizes the status of millions of immigrant Americans,” her website says.
Parkhill’s website also boasts that the company — where Valdez is the longest-tenured employee — designed the “Falcon Lakes Project” in Norma, Oklahoma, for the Department of Homeland Security.
“The Falcon Lakes Project for the US Department of Homeland Security, led by Parkhill’s skilled survey team, involved navigating strict security clearances and technology restrictions, such as drone prohibitions,” the firm wrote.
Valdez said her father had no involvement in the two projects cited by The Post. She noted that his work focus over the last 25 years was mainly on regional airports, and did not comment on a photo of him pictured with a Customs and Border Protection jet.
“For 45 years, my father worked as a civil engineer in the Lubbock office of Parkill, a firm with hundreds of employees across more than a dozen offices,” said Claire Valdez.
“I’m proud of him and my record of opposing Trump’s inhuman immigration policies.”
Valdez is running against Brooklyn Borough President Anotonio Reynoso for the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
Reynoso has the backing of Velázquez to be her successor. The race has caused an ongoing rift between the retiring congresswoman and Mamdani, who was formerly her political ally.
