Texas legislators quietly defunded border wall construction in the latest budget. Now, officials are expecting President Donald Trump’s administration to step up.

The legislature passed the largest budget in Texas history in April—totaling $337 billion. According to The Texas Tribune, the new budget left out funding for construction of the state’s wall along the Mexican border. 

Republican state Sen. Joan Huffman, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, told The Dallas Express in a statement the federal government is again fulfilling its duty to secure the southern border.

“Texas will continue to work alongside the federal government to develop border security strategies that are focused on making our communities safer,” Huffman said.

Under President Joe Biden’s administration, officials started releasing illegal aliens into the country—including one who allegedly killed a woman on Grapevine Lake last month, as The Dallas Express reported.

In 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Texas would uphold the law where the federal government “abandoned” it—by building a border wall.

So far, Texas’ border wall is only 8 percent complete, according to the Texas Tribune. Huffman said the state has appropriated a total of $3.5 billion for border wall construction. 

The Texas Facilities Commission has enough funding “in the current biennium” that will “allow for continued work on the border wall through 2026,” according to Huffman. She said she expects this “will set the federal government up for success as they assume the project in future years.”

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“Fortunately, under the Trump Administration, the federal government is taking on their responsibility to secure and manage the southern border and these policies have drastically reduced the number of illegal border crossings,” Huffman said. 

Last month, Trump’s administration released zero illegal immigrants into the country, as The Dallas Express reported. During the same period in 2024, according to The Epoch Times, Biden’s administration released more than 62,000 illegals into the country.

Still, according to Huffman, Texas is allocating close to $3.4 billion in the “upcoming biennium” to “secure” the southern border.

“Most of the state funds will support Operation Lone Star, including funding for personnel and technology needs along the border where interdictions often occur,” she said.

Local and federal law enforcement recently busted 76 suspects for drug and gun trafficking near Fort Worth, including potential members of the violent cartel Tren De Aragua, as The Dallas Express reported. Three former soldiers at Fort Hood, near Killeen, were also recently sentenced for smuggling illegals. 

The Dallas Express also reached out to state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa – the Democrat vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, state Rep. Greg Bonnen – the Republican chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and state Rep. Mary González – the Democrat vice chair of the committee, but they did not comment in time for publication.