Texas Republicans are openly exploring whether the Lone Star State could expand its borders into neighboring New Mexico.
The dramatic proposal is driven by frustration from conservative, oil-rich counties that say they are being ignored by liberal leaders in the state capital of Santa Fe.
In a move that has reignited long-simmering regional tensions, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered lawmakers to study the possibility of absorbing one or more counties from southeastern New Mexico, including Lea County, a deeply conservative region that has repeatedly clashed with state leadership.
The directive issued on Thursday as part of Burrows’s interim charges calls for a sweeping review of the ‘constitutional, statutory, fiscal and economic implications’ of adding New Mexico territory to Texas.
If pursued, the process would require approvals at multiple levels of government and likely years of legal and political wrangling.
Across the state line in New Mexico, a parallel effort is unfolding as Republican lawmakers look to break away from the state.
Reps Randall T Pettigrew and Jimmy G Mason have revived a proposal that would allow counties to vote on whether to separate from New Mexico entirely, setting up the possibility of a cross-border political realignment unlike anything seen in modern US history.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, center, has directed lawmakers to study the legal and economic implications of potentially adding contiguous counties from New Mexico into Texas
Theproposal is driven by frustration from conservative, oil-rich counties at odds with liberal leaders in the state capital of Santa Fe (pictured)
Lea County and surrounding areas sit atop the lucrative Permian Basin, one of the most productive oil and gas regions in the country.
But many residents there argue that decisions made in the state capital do not reflect the economic priorities or conservative values of their communities.
Supporters say the divide is cultural as much as political – a rural, energy-driven region at odds with a Democratic-led state government they feel is out of touch.
Critics, however, dismiss the proposal as largely symbolic and see it as more of a political statement unlikely to survive the enormous legal hurdles required to redraw state boundaries.
Burrows has made clear where he stands.
‘Texas would gladly welcome Lea County back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs,’ the Lubbock Republican wrote in a mid-February post on X.
In comments to the Austin American-Statesman, Burrows expanded on that vision, arguing that southeastern New Mexico has been sidelined by its own state government.
‘Southeast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe. It’s a conservative, energy-rich region with a fierce independent streak, and West Texas has shown what’s possible when you respect oil and gas, protect property rights, and trust local communities,’ he said.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has not included such a proposal in his own list of interim priorities and has not publicly endorsed the plan
Lea County in southeastern New Mexico, a focal point of the effort, sits within the Permian Basin – one of the most productive oil and gas regions in the United States
The Dallas skyline stands as a symbol of Texas’ economic power as state leaders explore expanding its borders into neighboring New Mexico
‘This conversation is ultimately about culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins.
‘I look forward to this discussion in the new House select committee.’
The study ordered by Burrows will dig into the fine print and examine constitutional provisions in Texas, New Mexico and the US, along with federal law and court precedent, mapping out the exact steps required to make such a boundary change a reality.
Any transfer of territory between states would require consent from both state legislatures, approval from voters and sign-off from Congress – a high bar that has made such proposals exceedingly rare.
For now, there is no immediate action underway and only a signal that influential Texas lawmakers are willing to entertain what was once considered a fringe idea.
Notably absent from the effort is Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick, who did not include a similar proposal in his own slate of interim priorities earlier this year.
The proposal comes alongside a separate political movement: ‘Texit,’ a long-running push by activists for Texas to secede from the United States entirely.
The Permian Basin stretches across West Texas and southeastern New Mexico and produces millions of barrels of oil per day, making it central to the US energy supply
While that movement has gained attention from time to time together with support among Republican candidates, it remains far from mainstream.
However, other states including California have their own separatist movements.
Californians and Texans are among the most pro-independence Americans, with nearly a third in each state wanting to split, YouGov polling shows.
