Were the Texas Rangers the first federal law enforcement agency?

The assertion that the Texas Rangers were the first federal law enforcement agency is not accurate; therefore, the answer is false. While the Texas Rangers are one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States, established in the early 19th century, they were not a federal agency. They operated as a state law enforcement body under the jurisdiction of Texas.

Federal law enforcement in the United States began to formalize with the establishment of the U.S. Secret Service in 1865, followed by other federal entities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1908. The distinction between federal and state law enforcement is critical to understanding the evolution of law enforcement in the country.

The Texas Rangers are indeed a storied and important part of Texas history but their role has always been tied to state law enforcement rather than federal law, which accurately leads to identifying the correct interpretation of their status.