Featured

Texas Halts Border Wall Construction After 8% Is Built

After an aggressive state-funded border wall initiative spanning four years, Texas lawmakers have quietly defunded the project. Despite over $3 billion already spent on the effort, only 65 miles (roughly 8%) of the 805 miles identified for construction have been completed, much of it in rural areas where illegal crossings are minimal.

Earlier this month, the Texas Legislature approved $3.4 billion for border security. However, not a single dollar was reportedly allocated to wall construction. Instead, the funds will support the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety under Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) Operation Lone Star.

“It’s not that we don’t think it’s an ongoing need to secure the border,” said state Senator Joan Huffman (R), the state Senate’s lead budget writer. “It should have always been a function of the federal government.”

In a statement, Governor Abbott’s spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, did not directly comment on the border wall’s future. Instead, Mahaleris emphasized ongoing enforcement efforts, commenting that “Texas will continue to maintain a robust presence with our federal partners to arrest, jail, and deport illegal immigrants.”

Initially championed by Governor Abbott as a bold stand against then-President Joe Biden’s (D) border policies, the effort has faced opposition by landowner resistance and pushback against eminent domain. In the Legislative session, a Republican-backed effort to allow eminent domain was turned down.

The Texas Tribune reports that the wall consists of disconnected segments across six counties, with 24% of property owners rejecting offers to build on their land, blocking 41 miles of planned wall.

Despite early claims that the wall would be a cornerstone of Texas’ border strategy, even Republican lawmakers have begun questioning its future.

“At some point this state must draw a line in the sand,” affirmed state Senator Charles Perry (R). Additionally, state Senator Bob Hall (R) previously questioned whether lawmakers were “spending a whole lot of money to give the appearance of doing something.”

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is an award-winning senior reporter based in Miami. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Florida International University.

Recent Posts

LONESTAR — 8.5.2025 — Abbott Threatens to Remove Democrats who Break Quorum — Texas Democrats Flee State to Oppose Redistricting — and More...

Tension between Republicans and Democrats has reached a tipping point as Governor Greg Abbott (R)…

1 hour ago

Cornyn Gains Endorsement From Former Governor Rick Perry

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) has published an op-ed announcing his endorsement of Senator…

19 hours ago

Cornyn Leads Bipartisan Effort to Permanently Fund Support for Trafficking Victims

In a bipartisan push to support victims of human trafficking, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R)…

23 hours ago

Texas Democrats Flee State to Block GOP Redistricting Plan

Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to block a Republican-led redistricting proposal…

24 hours ago

LONESTAR — 8.4.2025 — Paxton Targets BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard — State Lawmakers Hear July 4 Flooding Testimonies — and More...

Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced a major legal victory in his lawsuit against asset…

1 day ago

Abbott Threatens to Remove Democrats who Break Quorum

Tension between Republicans and Democrats has reached a tipping point as Governor Greg Abbott (R)…

1 day ago