Would Other States Join Texas if It Seceded from the United States?

The Current Picture

At present, the idea of Texas seceding from the United States remains purely speculative. Federal law and historical precedent make it extremely unlikely that any state would attempt to leave the union voluntarily, and there is no realistic scenario where such an attempt would succeed.

Legal Implications of Secession

The concept of any state seceding from the Union went to war in the mid-19th century. Following the Civil War, the act of secession was firmly established as unconstitutional and illegal. There is no legal process for a state to unilaterally leave the United States, and the federal government would use all necessary means to prevent such a move.

Historical Precedents and Legal Framework

Under the current legal framework, the U.S. consists of more than just the original 13 states. Places can join the Union in the following ways:

An independent country joining as a state, like Texas did. An independent country joining as a territory and later becoming a state, such as Hawaii. Foreign territories of other countries becoming U.S. territories and later states, like Alaska and Louisiana. A current U.S. territory becoming a U.S. state, which most non-original 13 states did.

While these processes allow for new states within the Union, they also illustrate that secession as a method of leaving the Union is not an option.

Potential Interest in Joining the United States

There are various entities that have historically shown interest in joining the United States, including:

Some regions of Canada The Philippines, which became a U.S. territory and later state Israel, which has occasionally flirted with the idea

However, these interests were mostly theoretical and did not materialize. Currently, few foreign territories or countries are seriously considering joining the United States.

Current U.S. Territories and Statehood

Many current U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico and Guam, have expressed interest in becoming states. This desire is more about internal changes rather than joining the United States, as these territories are already part of the Union but lack statehood.

Conclusion

The Union of states is a complex and robust structure that cannot be easily disrupted by secession. While it is possible that in some future scenarios, certain regions might consider joining the United States, the precedent set by the Civil War and the legal framework today make such an event highly unlikely. If Texas were to pursue secession, it would face significant opposition from the federal government and would not gain support from any other U.S. states.