FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2026
Edinburg, TX — Today, Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa was presented with the "Border Legend Award" by the Border Prosecution Unit at their Region 3 Training Conference in South Padre Island. The Border Prosecution Unit (BPU) is an initiative that partners with the Texas Department of Public Safety and district and county attorney offices in the border region to investigate and prosecute narcotics, weapons, human trafficking, organized crime, gang activity, and other border-related offenses. BPU grants support salaries for prosecutors, paralegals, and investigators, as well as training for unit members and law enforcement agencies.
Senator Hinojosa led the effort alongside Governor Rick Perry in 2009 to create and fund the BPU for the purpose of providing dedicated prosecution resources in aid of state border security operations. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa secured the initial $4 million to be administered as a trusteed grant program through the Criminal Justice Division in the Office of the Governor.
In 2015, Senator Hinojosa joined State Representative Oscar Longoria in authoring and passing House Bill 12, which formalized the duties and responsibilities of the BPU and designated it to be a unit in the Office of the Governor. In 2025, Senator Hinojosa continued his commitment to the BPU and successfully fought to secure a total of $46 million for the 2026-27 budget.
Senator Hinojosa expressed his appreciation for the honor of this award:
“I am deeply honored to receive the Border Legend Award from the Border Prosecution Unit. When we worked to establish and fund the BPU in 2009, our goal was to provide border prosecutors with the necessary resources to effectively combat transnational crime and protect our communities. Over the years, I have seen firsthand the impact of this initiative in strengthening coordination among law enforcement and bolstering prosecution efforts across the border region. I remain committed to ensuring the BPU has the support and funding necessary to meet the evolving challenges along our border. I appreciate the leadership of the BPU and look forward to continuing our work together in the years ahead.”
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