Hinojosa’s Election Puts Texas Immigration Policy in Focus

Published November 7, 2026. Texas could move away from its recent approach to immigration enforcement under Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, though Republican lawmakers, existing state laws and federal authority may limit how much she can change. Hinojosa’s election victory came Wednesday.

Hinojosa has said border security is necessary, while distinguishing people crossing the border now from those who have lived in Texas for years without legal status. She has also voiced concern that enforcement is putting mixed-status families in fear and making communities less safe. A separate account of her platform says she has promised to end immigration enforcement, including cooperation with federal authorities.

Texas law currently requires local agencies to comply with some federal immigration detainer requests and bars policies that prevent officers from asking about immigration status. The state has also sent Department of Public Safety personnel and National Guard members to the border through Operation Lone Star, spending billions on barriers, arrests and other enforcement efforts.

The state’s 2023 Senate Bill 4 sought to establish state powers over illegal entry and returns, triggering a legal dispute about states’ authority to enforce their own immigration laws. Hinojosa’s administration would also face the broader limits imposed by federal authority. Texas has an estimated 5.4 million immigrants, including just over 2 million people without legal status.

An ACLU of Texas strategist cited a poll in which 63 percent of respondents across political affiliations said ICE had gone too far. A Texas Public Policy Foundation fellow said his organization would work with anyone focused on public safety and Texans’ ability to thrive.

Texas Voters Have a Chance to End Fear-Driven Immigration Policies

Published November 7, 2026. Texas voters have chosen Gina Hinojosa, who has spoken out against immigration enforcement that leaves mixed-status families afraid and communities less safe. Her election offers a chance to reconsider a state approach built around cooperation with federal authorities.

Hinojosa has said border security matters, but that people crossing now are not the same as immigrants who have lived in Texas for years without legal status. She has described families’ fear as unacceptable. An account of her platform says she has promised to end immigration enforcement, including cooperation with federal law enforcement.

For years, Texas law has required local agencies to comply with some federal detainer requests and barred policies that keep officers from asking about immigration status. Operation Lone Star sent state police and National Guard members to the border, alongside billions of dollars in spending on barriers, arrests and enforcement operations.

The ACLU of Texas says state and local involvement has targeted immigrant communities and misused local resources. Its strategist cited a poll showing 63 percent of respondents across political affiliations believe ICE has gone too far. Those concerns underscore the stakes of changing course in a state with an estimated 2 million-plus residents lacking legal status.

Hinojosa will confront Republican lawmakers, state statutes and federal authority. Those constraints are real, but they do not erase the case for directing state resources toward Texans’ needs rather than enforcement that advocates say has spread fear.

Texas Risks a Dangerous Reversal on Immigration Enforcement

Published November 7, 2026. Texas’ incoming Democratic governor, Gina Hinojosa, could steer the state away from the enforcement approach established under Republican leadership. An account of her platform says she has promised to end immigration enforcement, including cooperation with federal law enforcement—a sweeping shift with consequences beyond the governor’s office.

Hinojosa has also said border security is needed, while drawing a distinction between recent border crossers and people who have lived in Texas for years without legal status. That distinction does not resolve the central question: whether local agencies should continue helping federal authorities enforce immigration law.

Texas law currently requires compliance with some federal detainer requests and bars local policies that prevent officers from asking about immigration status. Operation Lone Star sent state police and National Guard members to the border and directed billions of dollars toward barriers, arrests and other enforcement efforts. Those measures reflect a public-safety approach that Hinojosa’s proposed changes could undermine.

Texas has an estimated 5.4 million immigrants, including just over 2 million without legal status. A Texas Public Policy Foundation fellow has emphasized safety and security as essential to family life, work and business. Republican lawmakers, existing statutes and federal authority could constrain Hinojosa, but the direction of her administration will test whether Texas maintains its role in immigration enforcement.