Texas Republicans intensified their push Friday for federal agencies to release more than $11 billion owed to the state for border security expenses, arguing that the money must be prioritized now that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has created a dedicated reimbursement pool.
In a press release, Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, led members of the Texas congressional delegation in urging the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to expedite payments to Texas for border security operations conducted during the Biden administration.
Their letter follows the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes $13.5 billion for states that assumed border enforcement responsibilities.
The lawmakers wrote that "President [Donald] Trump's signature legislative accomplishment, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, created two funds totaling $13.5 billion for the purpose of reimbursing states for stepping up when President [Joe] Biden willfully refused to enforce our immigration laws at the border."
"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."
They highlighted costs expended during Operation Lone Star, the state's multiyear response launched by Gov. Greg Abbott in March 2021, after Texas officials described the federal enforcement as inadequate.
The lawmakers noted that "the State of Texas built miles of border wall and buoy barriers and deployed personnel to maintain border infrastructure and apprehend illegal aliens, gang members, and other criminals."
Their letter added that "Texas's actions through Operation Lone Star were absolutely vital to ensuring the safety and security of Americans across our great country. However, our State should not have had to bear alone the costs of securing the border when former President Biden intentionally failed to do so."
Abbott has repeatedly argued that Texas filled a federal vacuum.
During a visit to Washington earlier this year, Abbott pressed lawmakers for $11 billion to compensate the state for wall construction, detention capacity, and National Guard deployments.
He told The Texas Tribune that Texas had already provided more than 50 miles of finished wall, nearly 20 miles of planned wall, 100 miles of easements, thousands of military beds and thousands of jail beds. He framed the request not as a traditional reimbursement but as a payment for the infrastructure Texas built to benefit the entire country.
Cornyn called the situation unique because the state incurred costs that he said stemmed from a federal failure.
The Texas delegation, the largest Republican bloc in Congress, has argued it can exert significant pressure to ensure the money is released quickly. House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and other Texas Republicans have said the reimbursement is justified because the infrastructure already exists.
Democrats in the Texas delegation disagree.
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, called the request a misuse of public money. At the same time, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, questioned whether an $11 billion payment would be approved without extensive auditing.
Republicans say the new funds recently approved under President Trump's administration create a clear path for Texas to recover its costs.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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