Texas AG Candidate Threatens to Denaturalize Democratic Rep. Gene Wu

Aaron Reitz, a GOP candidate for Texas Attorney General, claims Wu lied during citizenship process and should have citizenship revoked.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Aaron Reitz, a Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General, has threatened to denaturalize Democratic State Representative Gene Wu, claiming without evidence that Wu lied during his citizenship application process. Reitz's comments came in response to a viral video clip of Wu discussing racial divisions and the potential for non-white communities to come together politically in Texas.

Why it matters

Denaturalizations are historically rare and can only occur if someone committed fraud during the citizenship application process. Reitz's threat against Wu raises concerns about potential political targeting of immigrants and elected officials of color, as well as the broader politicization of immigration issues in Texas.

The details

In a social media post, Reitz wrote that "as AG, I want to see [Rep. Gene Wu] de-naturalized," claiming Wu had "likely concealed his anti-American sentiment" during his citizenship application. The short video clip that prompted Reitz's comments shows Wu discussing how non-white communities in Texas could unite politically, which some Republicans have accused of being "racist" and "anti-White." Wu has not responded to the threat, but denaturalization cases are difficult to pursue under federal law.

  • The viral video clip of Rep. Gene Wu was shared on social media on Saturday, February 8, 2026.
  • Reitz's threat to denaturalize Wu was posted on social media on Monday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Aaron Reitz

A Republican candidate running for Texas Attorney General who threatened to denaturalize Democratic State Representative Gene Wu.

Gene Wu

A Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives who was the subject of Reitz's threat to denaturalize him.

Ted Cruz

A U.S. Senator from Texas who criticized Wu, saying the "Democrat party is built on bigotry."

Ken Paxton

The current Texas Attorney General who called Wu a "radical racist who hates millions of Texans just because they're white."

Chip Roy

A U.S. Representative from Texas who is also running for the Republican nomination for Texas Attorney General and said Wu should resign from his state House seat.

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What they’re saying

“As AG, I want to see [Rep. Gene Wu] de-naturalized. Wu is a subversive whose citizenship should be revoked.”

— Aaron Reitz, Republican Candidate for Texas Attorney General (X)

“The Democrat party is built on bigotry.”

— Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator from Texas (X)

“[Rep. Gene Wu] is a radical racist who hates millions of Texans just because they're white.”

— Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General (X)

“[Rep. Gene Wu] should resign or the TX House should strip him of any power.”

— Chip Roy, U.S. Representative from Texas (X)

What’s next

The Texas Supreme Court is currently considering two lawsuits seeking to remove Rep. Gene Wu from office for breaking quorum last summer.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing politicization of immigration issues in Texas, with Republican candidates threatening to use denaturalization, a historically rare legal process, against elected officials of color. It raises concerns about potential political targeting and the erosion of democratic norms.