2023 Texas Statutes › Code of Criminal Procedure › Title 1 - Code of Criminal Procedure › Chapter 2A - Officers; Powers and Duties › Subchapter A. Types of Peace Officers › Article 2A.002. Special Investigators

(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.
(d)  A commissioned law enforcement officer of the National Park 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 a national park or national recreation area. In this subsection, "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.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.
Text of article effective on January 01, 2025