Texas quietly halted funding for its state border wall program, leaving only 8% of the ambitious project completed despite an expenditure exceeding $3 billion. Announced four years ago by Gov. Greg Abbott, the initiative aimed to make Texas the first state to build its own border wall.
The decision to defund the project was made without public debate in the final hours of the recent legislative session, leaving the future of the state wall uncertain. The completed sections are scattered and primarily located on large rural ranches, areas where illegal border crossings are less common and migrants can easily bypass the barriers, as reported by The Texas Tribune last year. The Tribune also estimated that completing the wall would take 30 years and cost over $20 billion.
State leaders have suggested the federal government might take over the effort. However, even during former President Donald Trump’s first term, when wall construction was a top priority, his administration completed only 21 miles in Texas—roughly one-third of what the state managed in four years.
In early June, lawmakers approved $3.4 billion for ongoing border security efforts, none of which will be allocated to the wall. State Sen. Joan Huffman, the lead budget writer, confirmed that these funds will instead go primarily to the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard, supporting Operation Lone Star, Abbott’s initiative for apprehending migrants. Huffman, a Republican from Houston, stated that border security should ideally be a federal responsibility.
Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott’s spokesman, indicated that the Trump administration’s efforts at the southern border have allowed Texas to adjust its own strategies, without specifically commenting on the border wall program. He affirmed that the military and public safety departments would continue their border-related missions and that Texas would maintain a strong presence with federal partners to address illegal immigration. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick did not respond to requests for comment.
The Texas Facilities Commission, tasked with building the wall, had aimed to construct at least 100 miles by the end of 2026. However, with only 83 miles left to complete from previous funding, and 65 miles already finished, work will continue only on segments currently under construction, with no new projects starting. Commission Executive Director Mike Novak did not respond to interview requests.
The border wall was a key policy achievement touted by Governor Abbott, who initiated the costly border crackdown during President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration. He held multiple press events promoting the 30-foot wall, which costs about $28 million per mile. Early in its construction, Abbott solicited donations for the wall via his official website, raising over $55 million, though the crowdfunding link was later removed.
The state keeps wall locations confidential, but a Tribune investigation last year revealed it is not a continuous structure but rather fragmented sections across six counties between Del Rio and Brownsville. A major impediment has been landowners who have refused to allow construction on their property, as nearly all Texas land bordering the Rio Grande is privately owned, and the Legislature prohibited the use of eminent domain for the wall. In November, a third of approached landowners declined to host the wall, and by March, 24% of property owners, representing 41 miles of desired wall route, still refused. A Republican state senator’s bill to allow eminent domain for the wall died in committee.
Border security experts noted that landowner resistance has caused construction to be dictated by land availability rather than strategic effectiveness. Most segments were built in rural ranch areas, whereas experts believe barriers would be more effective in urban areas where people could more easily disappear.
The federal government’s plans for continued wall construction are uncertain, and the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment. While Trump has signaled that deporting undocumented immigrants is a higher priority for his second administration, his administration did award the first wall contract of his second term in March to build seven miles in Hidalgo County. Both Democratic and Republican administrations have used eminent domain to acquire land for border walls, though this process can take over two years.
Illegal border crossings have significantly declined since peaking in late 2023, with fewer than 13,000 monthly crossings since February, a drop of over 90% from two years prior.
Concerns regarding the efficacy and cost-benefit of the expensive state wall have been raised by Republican lawmakers. In 2023, before voting for $1.5 billion for the wall, Sen. Bob Hall questioned whether the Legislature was “spending a whole lot of money to give the appearance of doing something rather than taking the problem on to actually solve it.” Similarly, Republican Sen. Charles Perry likened endless spending on border infrastructure to being on a “hamster wheel,” stating that “At some point this state must draw a line in the sand.”