Texas Governor-Elect Gina Hinojosa Won't Commit to Keeping Operation Lone Star

Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa has not committed to keeping Operation Lone Star, the massive border security program built by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, after defeating him on Tuesday.

Hinojosa, a Democratic state representative from Austin, beat the three-term incumbent and will become the first Democrat to lead Texas since Ann Richards.

Her win immediately puts a question mark over Abbott's signature initiative, which made Texas one of the federal government's most important partners on immigration enforcement.

Operation Lone Star has cost Texas more than $11 billion since Abbott launched it in 2021, during the Biden administration. Through the program, the state built sections of its own border barrier and deployed more than 10,000 National Guard members.

READ MORE: Democrat Gina Hinojosa Defeats Greg Abbott to Win Texas Governor's Race

"Political Theater"

Hinojosa has repeatedly attacked Abbott's handling of the program and voted against its initial funding. But she has stopped short of promising to end it.

"As governor, I'll put in the work to secure the border, not waste working Texans' money on political theater," she said.

In another recent interview, she declined to name any specific border security spending she would cut. Instead, she argued that billions had gone to prosecuting migrants for trespassing while taxpayers also paid for their lawyers.

"Public safety shouldn't be a political stunt," Hinojosa said. "I will spend the money it takes to keep our community safe, not for political theater."

Those comments leave room for parts of Operation Lone Star to survive while others are dismantled or redirected. She has been clear on one point: she opposes more border wall construction in the Big Bend region, arguing it is unnecessary there.

Tough Words for ICE, Praise for Trump

Hinojosa has also sharply criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Texas cooperation with some federal immigration operations. She previously accused Abbott of turning Texas into a "staging ground" for federal enforcement that she said hurt families and rewarded political donors.

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At the same time, she has acknowledged that Trump administration policies have sharply cut illegal crossings, according to NewsNation. She specifically credited President Trump for the drop, a more complicated position than her attacks on Abbott suggest.

With crossings far below the record levels seen under Biden, Hinojosa may feel she has more room to decide how much of Operation Lone Star is still needed. She has argued that working with Mexico and federal authorities can deliver better results than some of Abbott's go-it-alone tactics.

What Changes in Austin

Her victory could still dramatically change Texas' relationship with the Trump administration. Abbott became one of the most aggressive Republican governors on the border, deploying state personnel, installing razor wire, building barriers and busing migrants to Democratic-led cities.

A Hinojosa administration may be far less willing to offer that level of help to federal immigration enforcement. That matters because Texas shares roughly 1,250 miles of border with Mexico, more than any other state.

Hinojosa won despite being heavily outspent. She campaigned on affordability, public schools and corporate influence, and has proposed using the state's huge reserves to send households one-time $1,500 payments while pushing for Medicaid expansion.

Republicans still control the Texas Senate, which could limit her agenda and force tough negotiations over future border funding. The fate of Operation Lone Star will be decided in those budget fights and in the decisions Hinojosa makes after she takes office in January.