Patrick and Castro Finalize Immigration Face-off Plans

State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro have finalized plans to face-off over immigration policy and border security on April 15. 

Open to news outlets, the hour-long conversation will be moderated by Texas Tribune CEO and Editor in Chief Evan Smith before a small live audience at Univision's San Antonio studios. It will be livestreamed by the Tribune and Univision, with recorded video posted and broadcast later.

The event is a result of a back-and-forth over social media between Castro, a Democrat, and Patrick, a candidate for lieutenant governor who faces incumbent David Dewhurst in a May primary runoff.

Patrick challenged Castro a debate in late January after the mayor called the senator the “most anti-immigrant Republican running for office.” Patrick has repeatedly referred to the influx of undocumented immigrants from Mexico to Texas as an "illegal invasion."

When Castro objected to that language, Patrick doubled down, saying he was "proud to wear the badge of securing our border bc your buddy Obama created this illegal invasion."