Governor Greg Abbott has formally requested $11.1 billion in reimbursements from the federal government to cover Texas’s border security expenditures since 2021, citing financial strain on the state due to what he described as insufficient federal enforcement.
In letters sent to U.S. House and Senate leadership, Abbott outlined the costs associated with the construction of border barriers and the ongoing Operation Lone Star, a state-led initiative launched to deter illegal border crossings.
Abbott’s request is based on a provision in a $13 billion federal budget reconciliation package signed into law by former President Donald Trump on July 4.
The package allows states to seek federal reimbursement for border-related expenses incurred between January 2021 and January 2029.
“Texas has been forced to step up where the federal government has failed,” Abbott wrote in the letter. “The burden on our taxpayers has become unsustainable.”
Since 2021, Texas has increased funding for border operations, deploying thousands of National Guard troops and law enforcement officers, constructing border fencing, and investing in surveillance technology.
The governor argues these expenditures were necessary to compensate for what he calls lax federal immigration enforcement under the Biden administration.
Operation Lone Star, a central component of Texas’s border security strategy, has garnered national attention and sparked legal challenges. State officials claim it has incurred billions of dollars in costs since its inception.
The request for federal reimbursement comes amid ongoing political disputes over state versus federal responsibilities in managing border security. Federal officials have not yet responded to Abbott’s reimbursement request.
