Texas Governor’s Office Communications with Tom Homan About Border Wire

Records from the Texas Governor’s Office in response to American Oversight’s request seeking communications with or about Tom Homan and Kristi Noem. These records contain one page of text messages, likely from November 2024, between now “border czar” Homan and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott about a court ruling concerning U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cutting wire at the Texas-Mexico border. 

In 2023, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration over Border Patrol agents cutting concertina wire, a razor-like wire installed by the Texas Military Department as part of Abbott’s controversial Operation Lone Star policy to deter migrants from crossing over into the state. In November 2024, a federal appeals court ruled that agents are no longer allowed to cut wire during operations. CBP claimed that the wire made apprehensions and patrols more difficult. 

The texts highlight the collaborative relationship between Homan and Abbott, even before President Donald Trump’s second term began. 

Abbott texted Homan: “The Fifth Circuit just held that Border Patrol cannot cut our C-wire. We’re studying the 75-page opinion now, which just dropped, but this is good news for Texas. It was great to have you in Texas this week. We look forward to working with you every step of the way.”

Homan responded: “Great decision. After January 20th we would have stopped that crap anyway but its good to have in your back pocket. I am looking forward to our continues [sic] partnership”

Abbott texted: “Exactly. But always keep in the back of your mind that what we accomplish over the next four years we want to maintain for the next 40 years.” 

The mention of Homan’s visit to Texas may refer to an event held on Nov. 26, 2024, when Abbott and Homan served Thanksgiving meals to service members stationed along the border. In a speech about Operation Lone Star during the event, Homan said, “This is a model that we can take across the country.” A few weeks later, Abbott also promoted his border policies as a “border security blueprint” for other states. 

Launched by Abbott in 2021, Operation Lone Star has been widely criticized by legal experts and immigrant rights advocates for its encroachment on federal immigration law, environmental damage, high costs, and reported human rights violations and discriminatory practices. 

Since taking up his role as “border czar” in January 2025, Homan has aggressively pursued mass deportations across the country. 

You can read more here about our work on state-led immigration enforcement operations like Operation Lone Star.