Attorney General Ken Paxton signed an immigration enforcement agreement with the Trump Administration, becoming the first Texas law enforcement entity to formally assist with and facilitate the mass deportation of illegal aliens during President Donald Trump’s second term. Attorney General Paxton also called on all state and local law enforcement entities in Texas to enter into similar agreements with the federal government.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to protect the American people from the invasion of illegal aliens from across the world. Section 11 of that order called for the Secretary of Homeland Security to authorize state and local law enforcement entities to perform the functions of immigration officers. By being deputized, Texas law enforcement officers can assist in the investigation, apprehension, and detention of illegal aliens as authorized under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
In President Trump’s first term, dozens of Texas law enforcement agencies executed section 287(g) agreements, acting as a force-multiplier of the federal government’s immigration enforcement authority. However, no new agreements were entered into during the Biden Administration, severely undermining national security. The new executive order issued by President Trump enables Texas to resume its collaboration with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Today, the Office of the Attorney General signed such an agreement, becoming the first law enforcement entity to do so.
“On day one, President Trump took bold action to make America safe again. I am proud to be the first to join him to restore our national sovereignty, secure our border, and ensure that criminal aliens face the justice they deserve,” said Attorney General Paxton. “As the top law enforcement official in Texas, I call on all agencies and departments to join me in the fight. We will enforce the law and protect America.”