UPDATE: New reports confirm a dramatic shift in Texas immigration enforcement as border crossings plummet and political candidates ramp up calls for stricter measures. Just days ahead of the March 3, 2025 primary, the landscape is changing rapidly, and the implications are significant for local economies and communities.
Mario Guerrero, executive director of the South Texas Builders Association, expressed alarm over federal construction-site raids disrupting daily operations. “The whole workforce, whether people have proper documentation or not, they’re all scared,” Guerrero stated, highlighting the growing fear among workers that is affecting business operations across the state.
Despite a sharp decline in border crossings, Republican candidates are intensifying their focus on immigration enforcement, leveraging the issue to energize their conservative base. ICE apprehensions have surged by 132% nationally from January to October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This uptick in enforcement has become a central talking point in the Texas Senate race.
Incumbent Senator John Cornyn, alongside challengers Ken Paxton and Wesley Hunt, has openly supported ICE operations, prioritizing enforcement over any comprehensive immigration reform. Their stance aims to appeal to voters who prioritize security and strict immigration policies. Cornyn recently announced a proposed bill that would increase penalties for those assaulting law enforcement during immigration operations.
In contrast, Democratic candidates Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico are challenging the aggressive enforcement tactics, arguing they strain communities and local economies. They have positioned themselves as advocates for a more humane approach, aiming to confront the fallout from increased immigration crackdowns, including labor shortages and civil liberty concerns. Talarico has criticized both the Biden administration’s and Trump’s policies, stating, “That failure by Joe Biden paved the way for Donald Trump to come in with masked men in unmarked vehicles.”
As the political stakes rise, voter attitudes seem mixed. While many Texans express anxiety about border security, they also recognize the economic contributions of immigrants. According to local activist Amerika Garcia Grewal, aggressive ICE tactics may backfire on Republicans as voters begin to weigh the human cost of such policies. “ICE tactics are backfiring on Republicans,” she noted.
Political analysts suggest that the debate is evolving from simply focusing on border crossings to the consequences of heightened enforcement actions. Jeronimo Cortina, a political scientist at the University of Houston, emphasized that the border no longer anchors the debate the way it once did. “The unsettled question is how immigration politics will evolve as the Texas race moves forward,” he stated.
As Texas prepares for its crucial primary, the implications of immigration policy and enforcement will continue to shape the electoral landscape. Candidates on both sides are now tasked with addressing the complex realities of immigration while appealing to their respective bases. The next few weeks will be critical in determining how these dynamics unfold.
