Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2A.002 · Subchapter A. TYPES OF PEACE OFFICERS
SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) The following criminal investigators of the United States are not peace officers but have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under the laws of this state as to felony offenses only:
(1) a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(2) a special agent of the Secret Service;
(3) a special agent of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
(4) a special agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
(5) a special agent of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration;
(6) an inspector of the United States Postal Inspection Service;
(7) a special agent of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service;
(8) a civilian special agent of the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service;
(9) a marshal or deputy marshal of the United States Marshals Service;
(10) a special agent of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security;
(11) a special agent of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration;
(12) a special agent of the Office of Inspector General of the United States Social Security Administration;
(13) a special agent of the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
(14) a special agent of the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture;
(15) a special agent of the Office of Export Enforcement of the United States Department of Commerce;
(16) a special agent of the Criminal Investigation Command of the United States Army;
(17) a special agent of the Office of Special Investigations of the United States Air Force; and
(18) a police officer with the Office of Security and Law Enforcement of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) An officer or agent designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security under 40 U.S.C. Section 1315 for duty in connection with the protection of property owned or occupied by the federal government and persons on the property is not a peace officer but has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state.
(c) A customs and border protection officer or border patrol agent of United States Customs and Border Protection or an immigration enforcement agent or deportation officer of the Department of Homeland Security is not a peace officer under the laws of this state but, on the premises of a port facility designated by the commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection as a port of entry for arrival in the United States by land transportation from the United Mexican States into this state or at a permanent established border patrol traffic checkpoint, has the authority to detain a person pending transfer without unnecessary delay to a peace officer if the agent or officer has probable cause to believe that the person has engaged in conduct that is a violation of Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code, regardless of whether the violation may be disposed of in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile justice proceeding.
(c-1) In addition to the power granted under Subsection (c), a border patrol agent of the United States Customs and Border Protection who completed the training program described by Section 411.02093, Government Code, has the powers of arrest and search and seizure as to any felony offense under the laws of this state if the arrest, search, or seizure:
(1) occurs on the premises of a port facility designated by the commissioner of the United States Customs and Border Protection as a port of entry or at a border patrol traffic checkpoint; and
(2) is incident to a detainment under federal law.
(d) A commissioned law enforcement officer of the National Park Service is not a peace officer under the laws of this state but has:
(1) the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed in a national park or national recreation area; and
(2) within the boundaries of a national park or national recreation area:
(A) the power to execute any arrest warrant or search warrant issued under the laws of this state; and
(B) the powers granted to a peace officer by Chapters 573 and 574, Health and Safety Code.
(d-1) For purposes of Subsection (d), "national park or national recreation area" means a national park or national recreation area included in the National Park System as defined by 54 U.S.C. Section 100102.
(e) A special agent or law enforcement officer of the United States Forest Service is not a peace officer under the laws of this state but has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed in the National Forest System, as that term is defined by 16 U.S.C. Section 1609.
(f) Security personnel working at a commercial nuclear power plant, including contract security personnel, trained and qualified under a security plan approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, are not peace officers under the laws of this state but have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure, including the powers under Section 9.51, Penal Code, while in the performance of duties on the premises of a commercial nuclear power plant site or under an agreement entered into with local law enforcement regarding areas surrounding the plant site.
(g) In addition to the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under Subsection (a), a special agent of the Secret Service protecting or investigating a threat against a person described by 18 U.S.C. Section 3056(a) has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to:
(1) a misdemeanor offense under the laws of this state; and
(2) any criminal offense under federal law.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.
Amended by:
Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 204 (H.B. 1620), Sec. 5.002(a), eff. September 1, 2025.
Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 390 (H.B. 1866), Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2025.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.2A.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 dfcae8e92f7081f14a3d3b21fd2a8d7afa6b55e1d3f78d05099e0204bb46fea7
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Government Code
Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 9.51ARREST AND SEARCH.Printed as Section 9.51, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.02PUBLIC INTOXICATION.Printed as Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.04DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.Printed as Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.07INTOXICATION ASSAULT.Printed as Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.08INTOXICATION MANSLAUGHTER.Printed as Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code
Cited by 13 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2A.002. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Civil Practice and Remedies Code
Code of Criminal Procedure
Government Code
- Tex. Gov't Code § 552.1175EXCEPTION: CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF PEACE OFFICERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS PERFORMING SENSITIVE GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS.Printed as Article 2A.002(a), Code of Criminal Procedure | Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Gov't Code § 3105.003ELIGIBILITY FOR MONUMENT.Printed as Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal Procedure
Local Government Code
Penal Code
Transportation Code
- Tex. Transp. Code § 201.910MEMORIAL MARKERS FOR CERTAIN PEACE OFFICERS KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY.Printed as Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Transp. Code § 521.1211DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR PAROLE OFFICERS, PEACE OFFICERS, PROBATION OFFICERS, AND PROSECUTORS.Printed as Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal Procedure
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.