Texas could ultimately receive close to $10 billion from the federal government to reimburse the state for money spent on border security, Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday as he celebrated an initial $7.5 billion award.
Abbott discussed the funding during a press conference at the Governor’s Mansion marking October as Law Enforcement Appreciation Month, saying the $7.5 billion reimbursement is significant but that Texas is pursuing billions more.
“This is a great first start, but we’re not yet finished ensuring that Texas gets back every dollar that we can to reimburse all of us for the cost that we incur,” Abbott said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security approved the $7.5 billion reimbursement under the State Border Security Reinforcement Fund, which was created as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Abbott's office announced the award Sept. 18 after Texas submitted its application to DHS in June.
Abbott credits Operation Lone Star
At Friday's event, Abbott thanked law enforcement officers who have spent the past several years working on the state's border security efforts.
He also renewed his criticism of former President Joe Biden's immigration policies, arguing that the federal government's approach during the Biden administration forced Texas to spend billions of dollars responding to illegal border crossings and related criminal activity.
Abbott said people should not forget what he described as the “reckless endangerment posed” by Biden's “open border policies,” including the arrival of migrants whose backgrounds had not been sufficiently vetted.
“Texas held the line when Washington would not. Texas taxpayers spent billions to stop illegal crossings, catch criminals, and seize deadly drugs,” Abbott said when the reimbursement was announced.
Much of the state's spending came through Operation Lone Star, Abbott's border security initiative that deployed Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety troopers to the border. Texas also constructed barriers and deployed technology as part of the operation.
Abbott's office says illegal border crossings declined by more than 80 percent under Operation Lone Star.
Texas seeking billions more from DOJ
The $7.5 billion DHS award may not be the end of the federal reimbursements.
Abbott said DHS had $10 billion available to states for reimbursement of border security expenses, with Texas receiving 75 percent of that money.
“The Department of Homeland Security had $10 billion to allocate to all states for any type of reimbursement for their expenses. We got 75 percent of that,” Abbott said.
Texas is now seeking a similar share of another $3 billion available through the U.S. Department of Justice. Abbott said Texas has already submitted its application and expects to “sit down in negotiations” with the department.
If Texas received 75 percent of the DOJ money — another $2.25 billion — the combined federal reimbursements would reach approximately $9.75 billion.
Abbott's office confirmed when announcing the DHS award that the state was applying for a portion of the additional DOJ funding.
Arrington praises reimbursement
U.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, also praised the reimbursement, saying Texas taxpayers should not have been left to shoulder the state's border security expenses alone.
“As Budget Chairman, I worked with my fellow Texans to make it a priority in the One Big Beautiful Bill to right this wrong and ensure Texas taxpayers were reimbursed for the significant financial harm inflicted upon our citizens,” Arrington said following the Sept. 18 announcement. “Today, I’m proud to announce that Texas has received the restitution it is owed.”
