Texas could soon be reimbursed for border security spending

Texas could soon be reimbursed for border security spending

Spectrum News 1

Reena Diamante | May 26, 2025

WASHINGTON — Texas could soon get billions of dollars from Washington for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security initiative. Tucked into the GOP tax and spending bill that narrowly passed the House last week is a provision to reimburse states for border security costs. It would repay Texas for policing the border, constructing border barriers and for busing more than 100,000 migrants to New York, Los Angeles and other cities run by Democrats.

When it comes to border security, there is little daylight between President Donald Trump and Abbott. The governor has offered more state resources to help the president carry out his border security crackdown, and now, Abbott has requested that the federal government reimburse Texas for the more than $11 billion it has spent since 2021 on border-related efforts under the Operation Lone Star initiative.

“What nobody knows is which Americans in which states are alive today, because of what DPS did to get that fentanyl off the streets of Texas,” Abbott told Spectrum News in February.

Abbott has made multiple trips to Washington to lobby for the repayment, and those efforts may soon pay off.

In a last-minute amendment to the sweeping tax and spending bill, House Republican leaders added $12 billion for state border security reimbursement. It would make grants available for border security costs incurred by states when Joe Biden was president and the number of unlawful border crossings surged. Texas is not explicitly named, but Republicans expect the funds will go to the state.

“We worked to make sure that was in there. I personally spoke with the speaker about it, along with many others, and so, thankful to see that in the bill,” U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Victoria, told Spectrum News.  

“How bad has it been? We have Americans getting killed. We have illegals doing things, gang members coming in, running drugs, running fentanyl, and so Texas secured the border,” said U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Friendswood, told Spectrum News. “Texas deserves to be reimbursed for that.”

In a statement to Spectrum News, Abbott’s press secretary said “Governor Abbott is grateful this was included in the U.S. House bill and appreciates the Texas Congressional Delegation for pushing its inclusion. Reimbursement for Operation Lone Star is a long process and there is more work to be done, but this is a good first step. The Governor will continue working with the U.S. Senate and President Trump to ensure Texas is fully reimbursed for holding the line against the Biden Administration’s open border policies.” 

The governor’s office said Operation Lone Star has cost $11.1 billion so far, including to patrol the border, erect border barriers such as the buoys and sharp wire on the Rio Grande, process criminal trespassing arrests, deploy National Guard soldiers to the border and bus more than 121,000 migrants to Democratic-run cities. 

Texas Democrats have long criticized Operation Lone Star as wasteful, and they say the reimbursement would come at a time fewer people in the state would have health care coverage and food stamp benefits because of the Republican tax and spending bill.

“Oh, it’s just ridiculous, talk about waste, fraud and abuse,” U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Dallas told Spectrum News. “That was a whole boondoggle for Gov. Abbott, and the Republicans are just kind of playing into that, and that money could have been used to feed some hungry kids.”

The bill now advances to the Senate, where U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is leading the effort seeking reimbursement.

“I will continue to spearhead the fight in the Senate for border security reimbursement funding and strengthen the language to ensure that Texas will be rightfully repaid for Operation Lone Star. I thank Congressman Chip Roy and all Texas Republicans in the House for making this reimbursement funding a priority and look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to send the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with these funds included to President Trump’s desk,” Cornyn said in a statement.