AUSTIN, Texas — U.S. Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, has introduced a bill that would move headquarters for the United States Customs and Border Patrol to Texas.  

Self posed the question on X, formerly Twitter, asking “Why is the agency responsible for securing the border 2,000 miles away from the border?”

The proposed bill would move U.S. Customs and Border Patrol headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lone Star State. 

“Doing so will be cost-effective and critical to bringing President Trump’s fight to the border,” Self said.

“This proposal fits a broader pattern that President Trump engaged in during his first term of trying to decentralize the federal government,” said Mark Jones, a Rice University professor of political science.

Relocating Border Patrol headquarters is part of President-elect Donald Trump’s larger plan to relocate thousands of federal employees.

“As many as 100,000 government positions can be moved out. And I mean immediately out of Washington to places filled with patriots who love America,” Trump said.

During his first term, Trump moved the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service to Kansas City, Missouri, and the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado. Jones says he isn’t confident Self’s bill will become law, but if it does, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could benefit.

“It’s one thing to propose moving an agency outside of the D.C. metro area to another state. It’s another thing to actually do so in practice, in part because so many of the employees will not want to move,” Jones said. “This fits very well with his belief that Texas and the state should be playing a more active role in border security. Having Customs and Border Patrol here in Texas would, I think, be a natural fit from the perspective of the governor.”

Recently, Abbott authorized dozens of billboards across South America and Mexico to stop border crossings.

“We will work with the Trump administration to deport them,” said Abbott.

Self says his bill “will allow America’s Border Patrol agents to be on the ground at the critical point of the crisis.”

But an Austin-based immigration attorney calls the proposed move an action to garner attention but believes it won’t affect determined asylum seekers.

“If we were to expand legal immigration options, temporary work programs, ways for people to access asylum protections without having to be at the border, then we would see a lot of this immigration along the border with Mexico go down,” Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said.

If passed, Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, will be required to work with Texas to select an area “strategically placed” to address border security.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Texas Longhorns 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday night. 

Ohio State will go on to play Notre Dame in the national championship later this month.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 10: The Texas Longhorns huddle before the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium on January 10, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Fourth quarter:

Ohio State answered first in the fourth quarter. They took the lead 21-14 with less than eight minutes left in the game.

Texas marched down the field but came up empty-handed. 

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was sacked, leading to a fumble. Ohio State recovered the ball and ran it back for an 83-yard touchdown. 

Ohio State now leads 28-14 with less than three minutes left.

With Texas’ first drive back, Ewers was intercepted.

Ohio State wins the Cotton Bowl Classic 28-14 over the Texas Longhorns

Third quarter:

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard threw an interception during their first drive of the quarter. Texas was unable to answer.

With less than four minutes left in the third, Texas tied the game 14-14.

Second quarter:

To start the second quarter, Texas fumbled the ball twice, but recovered the ball both times.

Ohio State had several penalties, keeping them from marching up the field.

Texas tied the game 7-7 with less than a minute left in the first half.

Ohio State answered back with a 75-yard run for a touchdown. Ohio State took the lead again, 14-7, to end the first half.

First quarter:

Ohio State won the coin toss and deferred for the second half. The Longhorns will have the ball first.

Texas was unable to score on their first possession of the game. Ohio State now has the ball.

Ohio State is on the board first. Texas trails 7-0.

To end the first quarter, Ohio State had the lead 7-0.

Texas vs Ohio State: How to watch, stream

• Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
• Where: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
• Date: Friday, Jan. 10
• Time: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN, DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV (with subscription)

Match-ups to Watch

Quarterbacks 

Neither quarterback in this game is a stranger to playing in Arlington.

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Ewers both won Big 12 championships the last time they played at AT&T Stadium.

Texas won the Big 12 in its last season in the conference last year. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State. He led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship win over then-undefeated TCU two years ago.

Stopping Smith

The best match-up of the game could be Texas All-American senior cornerback Jahdae Barron vs. standout Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. Barron won the Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back. But Barron gives up four inches and 15 pounds to Smith, the second-team All-American who may be the most electric freshman in the country. Smith has 70 receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith has four touchdowns in these playoffs.

College Football Playoff National Championship

• Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas Longhorns/Ohio State Buckeyes
• Date: Monday, January 20
• Time: 7:30 P.M. (CT)
• Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes will face off in Arlington, Texas on Friday in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

The winner of the game between Texas (13-2) and Ohio State (12-2) will go on to play Notre Dame in the national championship.

Texas vs Ohio State: How to watch, stream

• Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
• Where: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
• Date: Friday, Jan. 10
• Time: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN, DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, YouTube TV (with subscription)

Key Players

Quarterback matchup

Neither quarterback in this game is a stranger to playing in Arlington.

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard and Ewers both won Big 12 championships the last time they played at AT&T Stadium.

Texas won the Big 12 in its last season in the conference last year. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State. He led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship win over then-undefeated TCU two years ago.

Stopping Smith

The best matchup of the game could be Texas All-American senior cornerback Jahdae Barron vs. standout Buckeyes freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith. Barron won the Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back. But Barron gives up four inches and 15 pounds to Smith, the second-team All-American who may be the most electric freshman in the country. Smith has 70 receptions for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns. Smith has four touchdowns in these playoffs.

Predictions

• Pick Against the Spread: Texas (+6)
• Pick Over/Under: Under (53.5)
• Prediction: Ohio State 27, Texas 22

Predictions are made by the Data Skrive betting model.

FOX Sports Analyst Joel Klatt went with Ohio State in his prediction for the Cotton Bowl. Klatt says the Buckeyes are playing the best football in the country right now and the fact that the game is being played in Texas is keeping the line (Texas +6) lower than it should be.

• Klatt: Ohio State 35 – Texas 21

National Championship Game

The winner of the Longhorns and Buckeyes game will take on Notre Dame in the championship game.

The game will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the Longhorns played in the SEC Championship and against Arizona State in the College football playoff.

• Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas Longhorns/Ohio State Buckeyes
• Date: Monday, January 20
• Time: 7:30 P.M. (CT)
• Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia