Representative Troy Nehls (R-Texas) announced on Saturday that he will not seek re-election in 2026, concluding his three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of this legislative session.
Nehls confirmed his retirement from Congress through a statement, saying:
“After over 30 years of serving my community in law enforcement— as a police officer, constable, Fort Bend County Sheriff, and veteran— and six years representing this district in Congress, I’ve decided, after discussions with my wonderful wife and daughters during Thanksgiving, to focus on my family and return home after this session.”
He also mentioned that he had personally informed former President Donald Trump of his plans before making the announcement public. Nehls described Trump as a “strong ally” and a “true friend.” He concluded by expressing gratitude, saying, “It has been the honor of my life to serve this country in the military, to serve my community in law enforcement, and to serve this district in Congress. Thank you for your trust, friendship, and prayers.”
Nehls’ departure marks the end of a career closely associated with Trump administration policies, particularly regarding immigration enforcement, combating human trafficking, and opposing socialism.
Throughout his congressional tenure, Nehls spearheaded or co-sponsored multiple bills centered on illegal immigration, such as the REMOVE Act and the ATD Act. The REMOVE Act, introduced in July 2025, aims to accelerate the deportation process for illegal immigrants to within 15 days of their first court hearing. This initiative parallels a Senate effort by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and is intended to support Trump’s goal of increasing yearly deportations, which Nehls framed as a means to assist “President Trump with his large-scale deportation campaign.”
In May 2024, he introduced the ATD Act, requiring the deportation of individuals who do not adhere to immigration court release conditions. He criticized the Biden administration for not enforcing existing immigration laws, arguing that under Trump, individuals would only be released in “extremely urgent circumstances.” His office noted that the Department of Homeland Security faced over 6.2 million immigration delays by the end of fiscal year 2023.
Nehls has also advocated for legislation to help victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, co-introducing the Justice for Angell Families Act alongside Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS). Initially introduced in 2022 and reintroduced in 2025, this bill seeks to expand the Crime Victims Fund to support the families of victims killed or harmed by undocumented individuals. The bill also aims to reinstate the Trump-era Office of Immigrant Crime and Victim Operations (VOICE), which was dissolved by the Biden administration in 2021. Nehls emphasized that the bill would provide much-needed support for families suffering the consequences of these crimes without aid from the current administration.
Apart from immigration-related issues, Nehls gained national attention by calling for investigations into online platforms he accused of enabling child exploitation. In September 2023, he wrote to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging action against Instagram and OnlyFans for allowing access to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), referencing concerning data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
He advocated for regulatory measures for social media companies and the credit card firms processing payments for these sites. Nehls described the online landscape as fueling an “Epstein Island-like” industry and pushed the FTC to explore “appropriate regulatory and legislative remedies” to safeguard children.
Recently, Nehls participated in a House resolution denouncing socialism. On November 21, he supported Rep. María Elvira Salazar’s measure condemning the “horrors of socialism,” which passed the House with a 285-98 vote. All Republicans backed it, while Democrats were divided. Nehls reacted by sharing details of the voting and asking a pointed rhetorical question: “Are you surprised?”
