Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Backs Arrington Resolution Affirming States’ Right to Defend Against Border Invasion

Washington, D.C. – Today, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced strong support for H.Res.50 , a resolution introduced by House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) affirming states’ constitutional authority to defend themselves when the federal government fails to secure the border. Attorney General Paxton's endorsement is the latest addition to a growing coalition that includes every Texas Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, constitutional scholars, policy leaders, and law enforcement advocates. House passage of H.Res.50 would be a major accomplishment in safeguarding President Trump's border legacy and ensuring that states are never again left defenseless by the open-border policies of a future Democrat administration. “H.Res.50 serves as a vindication of Texas’s actions to defend its borders and a repudiation of the Biden-era legal attacks against our state. Importantly, it is a step toward strengthening border security going forward,” said Attorney General Paxton. “The Biden Administration allowed for the infiltration of illegal aliens and criminals into our country that led to an invasion-level border crisis. President Trump is doing tremendous work to save our country and secure our border. My office successfully defended SB 4, which protects Texas's right to arrest illegals, protect our citizens, and enforce immigration law. I am in strong support of H.Res.50 as it further affirms that the Constitution's Self-Defense Clause gives states an independent right to act when invaded, as Texas was under Joe Biden. When Texas joined the Union, it retained sovereign authority to defend its people and territory. I will stop at nothing to protect and preserve that right.” “Attorney General Paxton has been on the front lines defending Texas’ constitutional authority to protect its citizens against the invasion and disaster at our southern border created by the Biden administration,” said Chairman Arrington. “While President Trump is vigilantly securing our border and enforcing our immigration laws, Congress must act now to ensure Texas and other border states are never again defenseless against the open-border Biden-era policies that flooded our state and nation with dangerous criminal aliens and deadly fentanyl. If the past is prologue, we know exactly what we can expect from future Democrat administrations that want to take us back to open-border lawlessness. That’s why I introduced H.Res.50 – to ensure states like Texas are never again forced to be passive victims of a federal government that refuses to secure the border. I’m grateful to Attorney General Paxton for his bold leadership defending Texas’ sovereignty and for his strong support of H.Res.50. Congress should act now to ensure that no future administration can leave border states defenseless again.” Background: Chairman Arrington introduced H.Res.50 to reaffirm states’ constitutional authority to secure their borders and protect their citizens when the federal government fails to act. The resolution is grounded in the Constitution’s Guarantee Clause (Article IV, Section 4) and Article I, Section 10, which preserves states’ sovereign authority to act in self-defense when facing invasion or imminent danger. Under the Biden administration’s failed border policy , record levels of illegal border crossings, cartel activity, and drug and human trafficking placed unprecedented strain on border states and communities. During that time , Texas and other states were forced to take action to protect their citizens, while the federal government failed to fulfill its constitutional duty to provide for the common defense. H.Res.50 does not expand state authority – it affirms the constitutional balance of federalism, ensuring states are not left defenseless when Washington fails to act. The resolution has garnered growing support from a broad coalition of policy organizations, legal scholars, law enforcement officials, and conservative leaders across Texas and the country. Every Texas Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives has endorsed H.Res.50. You can view the full support for H.Res.50 HERE . ###