Committee hears HB 180 to authorize governor to make direct border agreements with Mexican states; bill held pending

Chairman Senator Birdwell called up House Bill 180 and invited Senator Birdwell to explain the measure. Senator Birdwell said the bill would codify the governor’s authority to coordinate directly with Mexican state officials to address cross‑border challenges including drug and human trafficking.

“Texas has the constitutional duty to protect its citizens and maintain sovereignty over our borders,” Senator Birdwell told the committee, and he said state‑level cooperation with Mexican authorities can improve responses to cross‑border issues. Birdwell cited previous agreements by Governor Abbott with Mexican states in 2022 as an example of state‑level coordination.

Under the bill, the governor would be able to develop and execute border protection agreements with individual Mexican states and appoint individuals or groups to meet with Mexican authorities to implement those agreements. The bill also includes a legislative finding restating that any individual entering the state from a foreign country must enter through a legal port of entry, described in committee as a codification of federal law.

The committee opened for invited and public testimony; none were registered for the bill and no members of the public spoke. The chair recorded that the committee would leave the bill pending; no committee vote or action on passage was recorded at the hearing.