Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety have released an updated state framework for setting homeland security priorities for the next five years.
The Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2026-2030 accommodates newer and evolving threats facing Texas, laying out plans to enhance state reactions and prevention for attacks and disasters.
“Protecting Texas from a broad range of threats and vulnerabilities is a critical mission that continues to evolve,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “The Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan provides a comprehensive and updated framework to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from attacks, disasters and other emerging threats.”
The plan speaks to protecting the state’s critical infrastructure, while mitigating risks and hazards from continued population growth, natural disasters, crime, and cybersecurity attacks.
“We must continue to enhance the resilience of our communities and the state as a whole, with the knowledge that new attacks and disasters will inevitably take place,” the plan reads. “Success will require unprecedented levels of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional, and public-private planning and coordination; technology integration; information sharing; a vigilant and prepared public; and a shared commitment to constant improvement.”
Even though officials have written this plan to fortify Texas in the coming years, multiple steps have already been taken towards addressing crime-related issues involving the state’s southern border.
In 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, deploying the Texas National Guard and DPS to the southern border while the Biden administration’s open border policies allowed illegal aliens to enter the country.
After the inauguration of President Donald Trump, Abbott continued to use National Guard troops, the Texas Tactical Border Force, and DPS personnel to assist U.S. Border Patrol agents in securing the southern border.
Although there has been a major decline in illegal crossings of Texas’ southern border, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reporting the lowest number of encounters in more than 50 years across the entirety of the southwest border, future surges are still a possibility depending on federal enforcement policies and resources.
The plan lays out six goals intended to be an example “of the general strategic ends toward which Texas will continually work” and “serve to orient our long-term homeland security efforts.”
The plans six goals are:
- Prevent terrorist and hostile foreign attacks and organized criminal activity
- Reduce the state’s vulnerability to attacks and disasters
- Minimize the impact of foreign nation attacks, as well as natural and technological disasters
- Increase the capability of the state’s response system
- Ensure rapid and effective recovery following attacks and natural or technological disasters
- Develop the capabilities to support statewide efforts across all homeland security mission areas
The Texas DPS Homeland Security Division is responsible for carrying out the plan, which includes assessing its statewide implementation and working with stakeholders to monitor progress.
