Joaquin Castro

Joaquin Castro
Official portrait, 2023
Joaquin Castro
Born	16 9, 1974
Birthplace	San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	U.S. Representative for Texas's 20th congressional district
Education	Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Children	3
Website	[castro.house.gov Official site]

Joaquin Castro (born September 16, 1974) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 20th congressional district since January 2013. The district encompasses just over half of his native San Antonio. Born alongside his identical twin brother, Julián Castro, into a politically active Mexican-American family on the West Side of San Antonio, Castro rose through Texas politics as a member of the Texas House of Representatives before winning election to Congress. In the U.S. House, he serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and has been recognized as an effective legislator—the Center for Effective Lawmaking at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia ranked him the most effective House Democrat in the 119th Congress (2023–2025). Castro has been a prominent voice on immigration policy, foreign affairs, and civil rights, and continues to represent one of Texas's most historically significant congressional districts, succeeding longtime representative Charlie Gonzalez.

Early Life

Joaquin Castro was born on September 16, 1974, in San Antonio, Texas, along with his identical twin brother, Julián Castro, who later served as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and ran for president in 2020. The Castro brothers were raised on the West Side of San Antonio, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood, by their mother, Rosie Castro, a Chicana political activist who had been involved in the La Raza Unida Party and local civic causes. Their upbringing in a politically engaged household shaped both brothers' interests in public service and community advocacy from an early age.

Growing up in San Antonio, a city with deep ties to Mexican-American heritage and a complex history of civil rights activism, the Castro twins attended local public schools. Their mother's political engagement provided a formative environment; Rosie Castro's activism exposed her sons to the mechanisms of political organizing and civic participation from childhood. The brothers developed a close bond and shared many of the same academic and extracurricular interests throughout their youth. Their story as identical twins who both pursued careers in law and politics attracted media attention as they rose to prominence in Texas and national politics.

San Antonio's 20th congressional district, which Castro would later represent, has long been one of the most historically significant districts in Texas politics, home to a large Latino population and the site of decades of political organizing around issues of education, immigration, and economic equity. Castro's roots in this community have been central to his political identity throughout his career.

Education

Castro attended Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Harvard Law School, from which he received his Juris Doctor degree. His twin brother Julián followed a similar academic path, also attending Stanford and Harvard Law School. The brothers' academic trajectories from the West Side of San Antonio to two of the nation's most selective universities became a notable element of their public narratives and a source of pride for their community.

After completing law school, Castro returned to Texas to practice law and pursue a career in public service, setting the stage for his entry into electoral politics in the early 2000s.

Career

Texas House of Representatives (2003–2013)

Joaquin Castro began his political career with a successful campaign for the Texas House of Representatives, winning election to represent the 125th district in 2002. He succeeded Art Reyna and took office on January 3, 2003. During his decade in the Texas House, Castro served on several committees that reflected his policy interests, including the Higher Education Committee, where he served as vice-chair, and the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee. He also served on the County Affairs, Border & International Affairs, and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues committees at various points during his tenure.

Castro's work in the Texas legislature focused on issues related to higher education access, border policy, and the judiciary. His committee assignments positioned him to work on legislation affecting the Texas-Mexico border region and the broader interests of the San Antonio community. His tenure in the state house spanned five legislative sessions, during which he built a reputation within the Texas Democratic caucus and gained experience in legislative processes that would serve him in his subsequent congressional career.

Upon Castro's departure from the Texas House to run for Congress in 2012, he was succeeded by Justin Rodriguez in the 125th district.

Election to Congress (2012)

In 2012, Castro ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 20th congressional district after longtime incumbent Charlie Gonzalez announced his retirement. The district, which covers just over half of San Antonio, had been a reliably Democratic seat. Castro won the election and took office on January 3, 2013, succeeding Gonzalez.

Castro's transition from state legislator to member of Congress came at a time of increasing national attention on the Castro brothers. Julián Castro was serving as mayor of San Antonio and was gaining recognition within the national Democratic Party, eventually delivering the keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Joaquin's simultaneous rise to Congress alongside his brother's growing profile underscored the family's unique position in American politics.

Congressional Service

Since entering Congress, Castro has served on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, two committees with significant jurisdiction over national security and international policy. His assignment to the Intelligence Committee, in particular, placed him in a position to participate in classified briefings and oversight of the U.S. intelligence community.

Castro has been reelected to Congress in every subsequent election cycle, representing the district continuously since 2013. His congressional record, as assessed by the Center for Effective Lawmaking—a joint project of Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia—earned him the ranking of the most effective House Democrat in the 119th Congress (2023–2025), a distinction based on metrics such as the number of bills introduced, their progress through committee and floor stages, and their substantive significance.

In March 2016, Castro appeared on NPR to discuss the state of the Democratic presidential primary and Hillary Clinton's campaign following Super Tuesday, reflecting his role as a commentator on national Democratic politics.

Role in Julián Castro's Presidential Campaign

In 2019 and 2020, Joaquin Castro served as the campaign chair for his twin brother Julián Castro's 2020 presidential campaign. Julián Castro, who had previously served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama, sought the Democratic nomination for president. Joaquin's role as campaign chair was a prominent example of the close personal and political relationship between the two brothers, with Joaquin helping to shape campaign strategy and serving as a public surrogate for his brother's candidacy.

Immigration and Detention Oversight (2025–2026)

In 2025 and 2026, Castro emerged as one of the most vocal congressional critics of immigration enforcement practices, particularly conditions at detention facilities in Texas. In early 2026, he visited the family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, and publicly raised concerns about what he described as worsening conditions, including allegations of medical neglect affecting detained children.

During his visit to the Dilley facility, Castro met with detainees, including a five-year-old boy and his father who had been apprehended in Minnesota. Castro called for their release and drew public attention to the case through media appearances and official statements.

In February 2026, Castro publicly alleged that ICE had deported a woman who was nearly nine months pregnant and had been detained for three months along with her two children.

Also in February 2026, Castro called on the Department of Justice to investigate the fatal shooting of a San Antonio man by a federal agent on South Padre Island. Castro characterized the incident as requiring federal scrutiny and called for accountability in the use of force by immigration enforcement agents.

In February 2026, Castro joined with fellow Texas congressmen Henry Cuellar and Greg Casar, along with local Bexar County and San Antonio officials, to press the Department of Homeland Security regarding a proposed ICE facility in San Antonio, urging the agency to halt the project.

Personal Life

Joaquin Castro is the identical twin brother of Julián Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Their mother, Rosie Castro, is a Chicana political activist. The close personal and professional relationship between the twin brothers has been a defining feature of both their public lives, with each frequently supporting the other's political endeavors.

Castro and his wife welcomed a daughter in December 2013. He has three children. Castro resides in San Antonio and has maintained deep ties to the community in which he was raised.

Recognition

The Center for Effective Lawmaking, a nonpartisan research initiative housed at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia, ranked Castro as the most effective House Democrat during the 119th Congress (2023–2025). The center evaluates members of Congress based on the number of bills they sponsor, how far those bills advance through the legislative process, and the substantive impact of the legislation. Castro's ranking reflected his ability to move legislation through committee and to the floor during the congressional session.

Throughout his career, Castro has received recognition for his work on issues related to foreign affairs, intelligence oversight, higher education, and immigration policy. His committee assignments on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence have placed him at the center of debates on U.S. foreign policy and national security.

Castro's position as one of the most prominent Latino members of the U.S. House of Representatives has also brought attention to his advocacy on behalf of Latino communities in Texas and nationally. His family's story—from the West Side of San Antonio to Stanford, Harvard, and the halls of Congress—has been cited in media coverage as representative of broader trends in American political life.

Legacy

Joaquin Castro's career in public office, spanning more than two decades from the Texas House of Representatives to the U.S. Congress, has made him one of the most prominent Mexican-American elected officials in the United States. His sustained focus on immigration policy, foreign affairs, and intelligence oversight, combined with his effectiveness as a legislator, has defined his tenure in Congress. The Center for Effective Lawmaking's recognition of Castro as the most effective House Democrat in the 119th Congress underscored his ability to advance legislation through a divided Congress.

Castro's political career has also been inextricable from that of his twin brother, Julián. Together, the Castro brothers have represented a generational shift in Texas and national politics, rising from a politically active but modest background in San Antonio to hold prominent positions in the federal government. Joaquin's role as Julián's campaign chair during the 2020 presidential race highlighted the depth of their collaboration.

His oversight work on immigration detention facilities in Texas, particularly in 2025 and 2026, has drawn national media attention and contributed to ongoing public debate about immigration enforcement, detention conditions, and the treatment of families and children by federal authorities. Castro's congressional visits to detention centers and his public advocacy on specific cases have positioned him as a central figure in these policy discussions.

As a representative of Texas's 20th congressional district, Castro has continued the tradition of Latino political leadership in San Antonio, following in the footsteps of predecessors such as Henry B. Gonzalez and Charlie Gonzalez. His career reflects both the political trajectory of the district and the broader evolution of Latino representation in American government.