House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, is highlighting renewed support for a House resolution aimed at affirming states' authority to defend their borders, as a coalition of conservative groups and officials urges Congress to act.

In a letter led by the Texas Public Policy Foundation and signed by dozens of national and state leaders, advocates called on lawmakers to pass a measure introduced by Arrington that emphasizes states' constitutional power to respond when the federal government fails to secure the border.

The signatories include policy organizations, law enforcement figures, and conservative leaders from Texas and across the country.

The letter argues that the Constitution preserves a state's right to act in self-defense under certain circumstances, citing Article I, Section 10, alongside the federal government's obligation under Article IV, Section 4 to protect states against invasion.

"States retain the unequivocal right to defend themselves against invasion and imminent threats," the letter states, urging Congress to reaffirm that principle through the resolution.

Arrington framed the effort as a response to what he described as federal failures during the Biden administration, pointing to high levels of illegal border crossings and related criminal activity.

He contrasted that period with more recent declines in crossings, which he attributed to policy changes under President Donald Trump. Still, Arrington argued that border security should not depend on changes in administration.

"We cannot rely on who occupies the White House to determine whether our border is secure," Arrington said, adding that the resolution would ensure states are not left "passive victims" if federal enforcement falters in the future.

The proposal has drawn support from some conservative legal scholars, including John Yoo, a former Justice Department official, who said congressional findings could strengthen legal arguments for state-level action.

Yoo noted that while the Supreme Court has generally limited states' authority over immigration and border enforcement, a congressional resolution could bolster legal and political cases for state intervention in situations deemed an "imminent danger."

Arrington first introduced the resolution in 2021 amid rising border crossings.

The resolution has yet to receive a full vote in the House.

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