Texas AG Paxton launches undercover investigations into left-wing violence

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office has launched undercover investigations targeting groups affiliated with left-wing political violence operating in the state.

The announcement follows the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, which Paxton called a “turning point in America.”

“Leftist political terrorism is a clear and present danger,” Paxton said in a statement. “Corrupted ideologies like transgenderism and Antifa are a cancer on our culture and have unleashed their deranged and drugged-up foot soldiers on the American people.”

According to Paxton’s office, the investigations will focus on identifying, infiltrating, and dismantling what he described as “leftist terror cells” in Texas. His directive comes amid several incidents of alleged politically motivated violence in the state.

In July, nearly two dozen armed leftists reportedly connected to Antifa-linked groups ambushed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Alvarado, Texas. Two weeks after Kirk’s assassination, another gunman opened fire at an ICE office in Dallas.

Paxton characterized the recent attacks as part of a broader national trend of left-wing extremism. “The martyrdom of Charlie Kirk marks a turning point in America,” he said. “There can be no compromise with those who want us dead. To that end, I have directed my office to continue its efforts to identify, investigate, and infiltrate these leftist terror cells. To those demented souls who seek to kill, steal, and destroy our country, know this: you cannot hide, you cannot escape, and justice is coming.”

President Donald Trump has also directed federal agencies to take stronger action against left-wing groups. In a recent directive, Trump officially designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and ordered federal authorities to “utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa.”

Paxton’s initiative builds on those federal actions, extending Texas’ own investigative reach to include any organizations or individuals found to be coordinating, funding, or supporting political violence in the state.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities described the shooting as a politically motivated attack. His death sparked widespread outrage among conservatives and renewed calls for tougher responses to ideological violence, while leftists have doubled down on violent language and actions.

Paxton’s office did not release specific details about the groups under investigation, citing the undercover nature of the operations.

“The radical Left has incubated an environment where political violence is not only justified but celebrated and praised,” the statement from Paxton’s office said. “Our goal is to ensure that Texas remains a place where such extremism finds no refuge.”