The National Border Patrol Council has announced its endorsement of Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton for the November General Election.
The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) is the nation’s largest border patrol union, with over 17,000 members.
In a statement to Fox Digital, David Perez, president of the council, said that he is “proud” to endorse Paxton “because we know he will continue fighting for the resources, policies, and leadership our agents need to keep America’s borders secure.” He added that they “know Ken Paxton stands with the men and women of the National Border Patrol Council who are on the frontlines protecting our borders, and he has always fought to uphold the rule of law.”
The NBPC endorsed U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary, but Cornyn was defeated by Paxton in the May primary runoff election.
While Paxton has long supported efforts to secure the border, his Democrat opponent, James Talarico, has historically been lax on border security.
Talarico previously called the southern border a “front porch” and said it should act as a “giant welcome mat,” sparking outrage across the state.
As the Trump administration grappled with a wave of illegal immigration during his first term, Talarico encouraged illegal aliens to “fight back” by not opening their doors, not complying with immigration officers, and not signing any documentation.
He shared a graphic in an X post encouraging people to resist Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrests and withhold information from government officials.
“The Trump Administration is conducting raids to deport thousands of undocumented Americans across our country starting on Sunday. Please [share] these graphics from [United We Dream] to keep our immigrant neighbors safe,” he wrote.
United We Dream is a non-profit organization whose mission is to stop the deportations of illegal aliens in the United States and supports the abolition of ICE.
Talarico has since backpedaled and attempted to reframe his left-wing statements by saying he supports closed borders and legal immigration.
“I called out Joe Biden for failing to secure our southern border and I got a lot of heat in my own party for doing that. But I remember talking with my colleagues in the legislature who represent border communities and they told me about the utter chaos caused by President Biden’s policies and the Democratic Party,” said Talarico in a recent interview.
In contrast, Paxton has made border security a priority throughout his time as attorney general. In 2021, Paxton sought an injunction against former President Biden to require completion of the border wall.
“The Biden Administration again and again refuses to aid Texans battling the border crisis every day,” Attorney General Paxton said. “A physical wall is essential for border security, and I am demanding that President Biden do his part to keep Texas and America safe.”
“While many looked the other way during the Biden border crisis, Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken action to defend our state, our nation’s sovereignty and to support those on the front lines,” said Perez.
Paxton said he is honored to accept the council’s support.
“As Attorney General, I have spent years fighting the Biden administration’s unlawful immigrant agenda, defending Texas’ right to secure our border, and standing with law enforcement officers,” he continued. “I will continue that fight by ensuring President Trump’s border security agenda is fully implemented, funded, and never undermined by partisan politics.”
