With the election of a Democrat as the next governor of Texas, outgoing Gov. Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” border policy is on the chopping block, and the end of this stopgap program will likely open a massive hole in border security allowing a Joe Biden-style migrant flood.
Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published November 11, 2026
AUSTIN, Texas. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott in the 2026 midterms. Democrat James Talarico also won the U.S. Senate race over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, the first statewide Democratic victory in Texas in more than 30 years. Voters also elected Democrat Nathan Johnson attorney general. Both he and Hinojosa had criticized Abbott’s immigration policies.
The results come as illegal crossings had been hovering near historic lows for months under the Trump administration’s clampdown. Most border-area voters told the Texas Tribune that the economy and everyday costs were their top priorities.
What changes is unclear. A Texas immigration policy expert said a governor cannot rewrite immigration law, but can influence how the state uses its resources. Texas’s border mission includes Operation Lone Star, an $11 billion effort that sent state troopers and other personnel to the border.
Immigrant advocates welcomed the results. One immigration clinic director said Hinojosa’s election offers hope for greater respect for migrants’ dignity, and a policy expert said the state has a chance to reset its priorities.
Conservative commentators have raised concerns. The Daily Signal published a piece asking whether Texas could become a sanctuary state, while noting that neither winner has announced specific border policies since the election.
Texas is not currently classified as a sanctuary state.
Federal immigration enforcement remains under the Trump administration, and the incoming officials take office with no announced border plans.
