Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to reimburse the state of Texas for its border security fight under the Biden administration.
The bill, called The State Border Security Assistance Act, seeks to create funds within the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to reimburse states for actions they took during the Biden administration, such as “construction of border wall, surveillance of the border, and apprehension, detention, and prosecution of individuals who illegally entered the United States,” a release on the bill explains.
The bill would further sunset funds at the conclusion of the Trump administration and return leftover funds to the Treasury.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), said, “Texas was on the frontlines of the Biden administration’s open border crisis, and Texans were on their own dealing with the consequences. I am proud to stand with Governor Abbott and Senator Cornyn to ensure the Lone Star State is reimbursed, and I urge my colleagues to pass this bill expeditiously.”
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) noted that Texas taxpayers were “forced to bear the brunt of the Biden-Harris border crisis.”
Texas spent more than $11 billion securing its border under Operation Lone Star.
In January, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) urged Congress to reimburse the state.
“President Biden’s policies left Texas and the rest of America defenseless against an unprecedented infiltration of violent criminals, known terrorists, and other hostile foreign actors, like the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua,” he wrote in letters to congressional leadership and the Texas Congressional Delegation. “I launched Operation Lone Star (OLS) to combat these threats to all Americans. Over the past four years, OLS efforts successfully reduced illegal immigration into Texas by 87%, demonstrated the ongoing effectiveness of President Donald Trump’s border measures, and shone a spotlight on a national crisis. In total, Texas has spent over $11.1 billion to protect the nation and secure the border. Accordingly, I am formally requesting that the federal government reimburse Texas for these costs in full.”
