Deflects state borders of Texas (6)
I believe the answer is:
averts
'deflects' is the definition.
('avert' can be a synonym of 'deflect')
'state borders of texas' is the wordplay.
'state' becomes 'aver' (both can mean to declare).
'borders of' means to remove the middle letters.
'texas' with its middle removed is 'ts'.
'aver'+'ts'='AVERTS'
(Other definitions for averts that I've seen before include "Of eyes or gaze, turns away" , "Turns aside" , "Stops" , "Turns away or causes to turn away" , "Wards off" .)