President Donald Trump on Tuesday selected Texas border czar Michael Banks to lead the U.S. Border Patrol, tapping a career agent with decades of experience in federal immigration enforcement.
Banks, who most recently spearheaded Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s border enforcement operations, confirmed his placement atop Border Patrol in a social media post Tuesday. The newly-minted chief will be leading a critical agency during Trump’s push for a more robust border security apparatus and an unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration.
“With over 20 years of service in the Border Patrol, I am honored to lead this incredible team,” Banks posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Together, we’ll strengthen partnerships, enhance operations, and embrace innovation to secure our nation’s borders.”
“Thank you for your dedication — let’s move forward with purpose and professionalism!” he continued.
Abbott created the position of Texas border czar in January 2023 and appointed Banks to the role. As the “special advisor on border matters to the governor,” Banks helped foment Abbott’s Operation Lone Star mission, which proved successful in mitigating illegal immigration into the state and highlighting the plight of the border crisis under the Biden-Harris administration.
Before working for the Texas governor, Banks completed 23 years in the Border Patrol. During his time with the agency, he served in California, Arizona, Texas and Washington, D.C., according to an interview he gave in November 2023. The longtime agent has touted the need for tougher enforcement policies along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Texas is the only state along the border that is stepping up and doing anything to actually secure the border,” he told the Texas Public Policy Foundation when he was serving as Texas border czar. “The other states have just accepted that it’s the federal government’s responsibility and they’re not going to do anything about it.”
“In Texas, we’re not going to stand for that. We’re going to protect Texas, and protect the United States,” he said. “We’re not going sit back and let the U.S. government succeed our border to Mexico or anyone else that just wants to cross the border without the proper legal pathway.”
Banks will be working closely with former Border Patrol chief Rodney Scott, who has been tapped by the Trump administration to lead Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Scott led Border Patrol for the first few months of the Biden-Harris administration until he was forced out, and he has since blown the whistle on what, he said, were concerted efforts by the former administration to conceal the extent of the border crisis.
Banks is replacing outgoing Border Patrol chief Jason Owens, who announced he is retiring from the agency in April.
Neither Abbott’s office nor CBP immediately responded to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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