A Republican candidate for governor of California has proposed forcing immigrant women living in the country illegally to marry American “incels” to avoid deportation.

During an appearance on The Lilly Show with host Lilly Gaddis, Kyle Langford made the proposal in a clip that has since gone viral.

“We know where you are. If you marry one of our Californian incels, then you can stay. But if you don’t, then, well, they’re getting sent back across,” he said.

“It is an initiative that will encourage family formation in the State of California; fostering healthy, stable young families is my #1 priority,” Langford told Newsweek in an emailed statement.

Why It Matters

Immigration was seen as a winning issue for President Donald Trump during the campaign and candidates at the state level politics have picked up the mantle.

Trump has pledged to conduct the largest deportation operation in American history as his administration looks to remove millions of immigrants lacking permanent legal status. The White House has said anyone living in the country unlawfully is considered a “criminal” by the federal government. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, thousands of migrants have been arrested.

What To Know

The podcast clip, which was released on April 8, has gone viral on X, formerly Twitter, and has amassed 1.6 million views as of Wednesday, April 16.

Langford said he backs deporting all male immigrants without legal status in the state of California. The GOP candidate for governor added he wants to give women one year to get married or face deportation.

Langford was born in San Jose, California, and graduated from Lake Oswego High School. His professional background includes serving as a construction manager and as the executive director of the California First PAC.

Kyle Langford is among several Republicans vying for the governorship, including Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, business consultant Sharifah Hardie, marketing agency founder Brandon Jones and Zacky Farms Vice President Leo Zacky.

​Across the aisle, Democrats are waiting to see if former Vice President Kamala Harris will join the fray.

A poll conducted by Emerson College Polling, Inside California Politics, and The Hill between February 10-11, surveying 1,000 registered voters, found that nearly 57 percent of Democratic primary voters in California would vote for Harris as governor.

During a pre-Oscars party in Los Angeles, Harris said that she plans to decide on whether to run in the 2026 California gubernatorial election by the end of the summer, according to a Politico report citing two anonymous sources familiar with the conversation.

Harris, who remains the favorite in the California gubernatorial election if she decides to run, is reportedly still “mulling” another bid for the presidency.

If elected as California governor it would “almost certainly” eliminate the possibility of seeking the Democratic nomination in 2028.

Incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom, who is expected to launch his own 2028 presidential bid, cannot run for reelection due to state term limits.

What People Are Saying

Langford said: “I am pro-deportation. I was thinking to first off deport all the men and then for the women, like maybe you’ll have a one-year time to like marry.

“Enough people have told me that I should consider that…I’m just saying I would give them a one-year timeline. We know who you are, we know where you are. If you marry one of our Californian incels, then you can stay. But if you don’t, then, well, they’re getting sent back across.”

Matt Loesby, chair of the Libertarian Party of Idaho, wrote on X: “If you actually knew anything about the right wing, you would know that this is quite the moderate position.

What Happens Next

The California gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026.