In a major escalation of border security efforts, the Texas National Guard has been authorized to make immigration arrests under a new agreement with the Trump administration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the decision on Sunday, stating that the expanded powers take effect “immediately.”
The agreement, part of President Trump’s broader immigration policies, aims to strengthen border security by allowing National Guard soldiers to assist federal immigration authorities. This move aligns with the administration’s ongoing efforts to remove millions of undocumented immigrants, a key focus of its immigration strategy.
Governor Abbott shared the news on social media, highlighting that it “boosts manpower for border security.”
The memorandum of understanding, signed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Pete Flores, grants Texas National Guard soldiers the ability to conduct roving patrols and perform immigration enforcement duties, provided they are accompanied by a U.S. immigration officer or Border Patrol agent.
According to Breitbart, which first reported the agreement, the directive has not yet been fully implemented across all Texas border sectors. Officials from Governor Abbott’s office and CBP have not responded to inquiries regarding the timeline for full deployment.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to expand immigration enforcement. On January 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive granting Justice Department law enforcement agencies—including U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel—the authority to investigate and apprehend suspected undocumented immigrants.
The Texas National Guard’s expanded role builds on these initiatives, reinforcing state and federal efforts to address what the administration has described as a crisis at the southern border.
