Once a centerpiece of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) immigration agenda, the state-funded U.S.-Mexico border wall is no longer receiving new money under the latest budget — signaling a major pivot in priorities.
According to the Associated Press, Abbott launched the border wall initiative four years ago, framing it as essential to Texas’ security strategy amid surging migrant numbers. He even appealed to private citizens for donations in 2021, saying many Americans were eager to help fund the effort.
Today, only 65 of the proposed hundreds of miles of wall have been completed, and the pace has lagged — slowed by land acquisition challenges and pushback from local communities. The Texas Tribune was first to report that funding for further expansion has now been halted.
In a statement Tuesday, Abbott’s office credited changes at the federal level and the efforts of President Donald Trump, for the budget shift.
“Thanks to President Trump’s bold leadership, the federal government is finally fulfilling its obligation to secure the southern border and deport criminal illegal immigrants,” spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said. “Because of these renewed federal assets in Texas, our state can now adjust aspects of state-funded border security efforts.”
The state’s border with Mexico stretches roughly 1,200 miles, and while the wall’s future remains uncertain, work on existing segments will continue through 2026 using previously allocated funds. Texas Facilities Commission director Mike Novak noted in April that about $2.5 billion remains, enough for up to 85 additional miles.
However, the new budget passed this month allocates $3.4 billion to broader border security operations — about half of the $6.5 billion designated for immigration efforts in the prior cycle.
These funds will now support the Texas Department of Safety and Texas National Guard under Operation Lone Star; Abbott’s sweeping enforcement initiative launched during the Biden administration.
Scott Nicol, a board member of the habitat preservation group Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, located in the Rio Grande Valley, criticized the wall as ineffective.
“There was no need for it in the first place. The only thing that’s changed is the political dynamic,” Nicol said.
