(The Center Square)–The Texas legislature on Saturday advanced a bill that authorizes limited support for Trump administration border security enforcement.
After SB 8, filed by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, passed the Senate, a substitute bill passed the House filed by Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, which the Senate rejected. A conference committee released a revised bill on Saturday.
It only applies to “certain sheriffs” that operate jails or enter into contracts with vendors that operate jails, according to the bill language. It doesn’t apply to state agencies or police departments. It doesn’t respond to a Trump administration request for all law enforcement officials in all counties nationwide to participate in a federal immigration program referred to as 287(g). Named after a section of the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act, it authorizes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers specified immigration functions under ICE supervision.
Under the Biden administration, former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas limited 287(g) participation to a jail model, which the Texas bill follows.
The Trump administration expanded 287(g) to three models, a Jail Enforcement Model (JEM), Task Force Model (TFM) and Warrant Service Officer (WSO) model, The Center Square reported. Additional models may be rolled out in the future. ICE provides free training, saying it “bears the cost of 287(g) training for law enforcement agencies.”
As of May 29, law enforcement agencies in 40 states were participating in 287(g), with the greatest number of agreements signed in Florida, The Center Square reported.
Florida agencies are participating in all three models, including Florida’s 67 sheriff’s offices; roughly 90 police departments; multiple university police departments, including boards of trustees; county commissioners; airport police; multiple departments of corrections, among others. No other state has the level of participation that Florida does.
By comparison, 64 Texas sheriffs have signed at least one 287(g) agreement with ICE, as well as the Nixon Police Department, Texas National Guard and Texas Office of Attorney General. Applications are pending from four additional sheriffs, as of May 29 data.
Current sheriff participation represents roughly 27% of Texas’ 254 counties. The majority are counties with small populations with limited funds. Notably absent are the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and other state agencies. By contrast, Democratic-led Arizona Department of Corrections and Massachusetts Department of Corrections are participating in the JEM.
Just because President Donald Trump has largely shut down illegal border crossings doesn’t mean law enforcement efforts are finished, ICE says. State and local law enforcement have “four years to eliminate cartel activities in our communities,” Goliad Sheriff Roy Boyd, who leads an Operation Lone Star Task Force in multiple counties, told The Center Square.
“The reason we need everybody to participate in 287(g) is pretty simple. The people that are in this country illegally are beholden to the cartels and their contractors. The only way to get rid of the cartel presence in the United States is to apprehend illegal aliens in our counties and state,” he said. “As long as those people are here, the cartels have the logistical means they need to conduct their business, whether that is their slave trade, moving drugs, moving money, stealing oil in the Permian Basin.”
Cartel operatives also adapting and changing their methods, he and others in the OLS Task Force told The Center Square. “The reason we formed the task force was to deny the cartels the ability to operate freely within the jurisdictions of task force members,” he said. Their efforts have so far proved successful, with cartel operatives going around task force counties to avoid being apprehended, The Center Square first reported.
In nearby Lavaca County, where the previous sheriff wouldn’t participate in task force operations, drug trafficking went unchecked until a new sheriff was elected and is now participating in the task force, The Center Square exclusively reported.
Law enforcement at the state and local levels need to prepare for the future expecting a Biden administration 2.0 to reverse Trump administration policies, task force members say.
Now that Trump’s in office, “We need to keep the momentum going,” founding task force member Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez told The Center Square. “Trump’s term is only four years, 48 months and it’s gone. We need to think ahead for the next term already. We’ve got to do it now because [border security] has to be sustained. We just can’t give that up.”
“When President Trump is out of office, if the next administration does not take the same strong stance against the cartels, the cartels will be right back up at full production across the United States, bringing their product over. This is our opportunity to defund the cartels’ operations in our counties and state, and eventually nationwide,” Boyd said.
The current bill “is a continuation of the Mayorkas model,” task force members said, excluding the field enforcement component. Without field enforcement, the Trump administration won’t have the support it needs, they argue.
Without weighing in on the specifics of the bill, Trump border czar Tom Homan advocates for a whole of government approach targeting criminal illegal foreign nationals.
“Law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels should all work together seamlessly to protect our communities from illegal alien public safety threats. It’s plain common sense,” he told The Center Square.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.