Cornyn, Cruz Lead Texas Push for $11B Border Reimbursement

On Friday, 27 Texas lawmakers, led by U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, urging the federal government to reimburse the state for $11.1 billion spent on border enforcement since 2021 under Operation Lone Star, reported KXAN.

“The State of Texas bore the heaviest burden, incurring $11.1 billion in costs over four years. We respectfully request that the departments prioritize Texas in disbursing these funds,” the lawmakers wrote.

The request references $13.5 billion in federal funds authorized through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to reimburse states for immigration-related costs. 

The letter cites the wide range of state-funded enforcement efforts, including deploying thousands of National Guard troops, sending state troopers to patrol border roads, prosecuting suspected illegal border crossers, constructing miles of border fencing, and installing border buoys in Eagle Pass.

“President Biden’s open-border policies imposed a substantial cost on communities in Texas, through increased fentanyl trafficking, crime, and even stress on local emergency response services,” lawmakers said. 

They added that while Operation Lone Star has been “absolutely vital to ensuring the safety and security of Americans,” but stated “our State should not have had to bear alone the costs”.