Eileen Hernandez, Capitol Correspondent

AUSTIN, Texas—State Rep. Eddie Morales, a Democrat who previously co-authored Texas border security laws, is breaking from his party again—this time by backing Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for federal reimbursement of state border spending. But on education, Morales is taking a sharply different stance, calling school vouchers “billionaire scams” and opposing Abbott’s plan to implement them.

Morales, who represents 11 counties along the Texas-Mexico border, has long supported Operation Lone Star, Abbott’s border security initiative. When asked if he regretted backing the program, Morales stood by his decision but urged the governor to be more strategic with its funding.

“I do not regret it,” Morales said. “I would like the governor to be more laser-focused on the use of those Operation Lone Star funds. We need to remind the governor and the legislature that we have a fiduciary duty and an obligation to Texas taxpayers. We can’t just throw money at it—we need to make tactical, technical, and laser-focused decisions.”

Now, Morales is taking his border security stance a step further, joining Abbott in demanding the federal government reimburse Texas for its spending on immigration enforcement.

“My staff was able to find an additional $3 billion spent under Governor [Rick] Perry’s tenure,” Morales said. “So we’re joining the governor’s efforts, but we’re saying it shouldn’t just be $12 billion—it should be at least $15 billion that the federal government reimburses us.”

Clashing on Education

While Morales aligns with Abbott on border security, he strongly opposes the governor’s push for school vouchers. He argues that such a system would fail to serve rural and border communities like his own, where private schools are scarce.

“I represent 11 counties—the largest district not just in Texas, but in the entire United States,” Morales said. “Many of my counties don’t have private schools, so a private school voucher system wouldn’t benefit my constituents. That’s why I strongly oppose it.”

Morales also criticized Abbott’s education funding, arguing that the state’s current budget falls far short of what is needed.

“Right now, the governor has only appropriated $5 billion when all the experts are telling us we need $30 billion—not five,” he said. “Texas has never been about being in the middle of the pack. We always want to lead. But the people leading for over 20 years have been the governor and the Republican Party. If there are issues with public education, they’re the ones who created them.”

Morales called on the state to prioritize funding for public schools before turning to vouchers.

“They can’t put us in this situation and now try to be the saviors by claiming private school vouchers are the solution,” he said. “I’m asking them to fully fund public education for at least five to ten years and see what happens—I think we’ll all be very impressed.”

Abbott Responds

At a recent press conference, Abbott dismissed concerns that school vouchers wouldn’t work in rural districts like Morales’ and argued that his plan would create new opportunities for students.

“Look up Alpine, look further west where private schools exist. There are options,” Abbott said. “And once school choice passes, more schools may open up, providing more opportunities—not just in his district, but across the state.”

The debate over school choice remains one of the most contentious issues in the Texas Legislature, with Abbott making it a key priority in the current session. Meanwhile, Morales continues to carve out an independent path—one that aligns with Abbott on border security but diverges sharply on education policy.