As Election Day nears, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s record shows repeated support for efforts to secure the southern border.
Paxton has served as Texas attorney general since 2015, and has consistently supported measures aimed at securing the Texas-Mexico border.
His record on border security has followed him throughout his tenure, including federal court victories against the Biden administration and legal efforts to defend state laws related to crime and illegal immigration.
In 2019, during President Donald Trump’s first term, Paxton joined Trump at a roundtable discussion in McAllen focused on border security. The meeting was intended to discuss conditions at the southern border and potential responses to illegal immigration.
In 2021, after President Joe Biden took office, Paxton continued filing lawsuits challenging the administration’s immigration policies.
In January 2021, after Biden suspended the certain deportation actions, Paxton filed a complaint seeking to halt the Department of Homeland Security’s freeze on removals.
In March 2021, Paxton led a 14-state coalition before the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of a federal law prohibiting immigration by illegal aliens who are likely to rely on taxpayer-funded government programs.
In July 2021, Paxton won a ruling from a U.S. District Court Judge that blocked the federal government from approving new applications under the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program while litigation continued.
In August 2021, Paxton obtained a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration after they challenging federal guidance on the detention of certain noncitizens convicted of crimes.
In December 2021, Paxton asked a court to order the Biden administration to immediately resume construction of the southern border wall. He argued that the administration violated federal law by halting the use of congressionally appropriated funds for wall construction.
That same month, Paxton also helped secure a ruling that restored the “Remain in Mexico” program, which required immigrants seeking to enter the U.S. illegally to remain in Mexico until U.S. courts ruled on their immigration status.
In 2023, Paxton continued to prioritize border security through additional legal challenges against the Biden administration.
During a months-long legal battle over Texas’ border barriers, Paxton won an injunction from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that barred the federal government from damaging, destroying, or interfering with Texas’ concertina wire fencing along the southern border while litigation continued.
In November 2023, Paxton sent a letter to then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stating that a newly enacted Texas law granted additional authority to law enforcement officers under certain circumstances.
Paxton continued pursuing border-related legal action after Biden left office. In June 2026, he obtained a Texas Supreme Court order temporarily freezing Harris County’s $1.3 million program that provided legal representation to illegal aliens facing deportation proceedings.
In April 2026, Paxton also defended Senate Bill 4, which was passed during the 88th Texas Legislature and made illegal entry into Texas from a foreing nation a state crime while authorizing state law enforcement full authority to arrest and order the return of illegal aliens. Paxton sought and obtained a preliminary injunction in federal district court, which was later affirmed by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Additionally, Paxton issued a statement supporting House Resolution 50, sponsored by Republican U.S. Rep. Jodey Arlington of Texas, which affirms the constitutional authority of states to defend themselves against border invasions.
Paxton is currently endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council. In announcing the endorsement, council President Paul Perez said the organization believes Paxton “will continue fighting for the resources, policies, and leadership our agents need to keep America’s borders secure.”
