Governor Abbott’s Request to DHS
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Abbott said Texas has provided DHS with the full documentation required to seek repayment for costs incurred since Operation Lone Star began. According to the governor, Texas has spent more than $10 billion on National Guard deployments, Department of Public Safety operations, border barrier construction, surveillance technology, and drug and human‑smuggling interdiction efforts.
“In March 2021, I launched Operation Lone Star to fill in the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border,” Abbott said in the press release. “For four years under Biden, Texas spent more than $10 billion of taxpayer money to secure the border. I have formally submitted Texas’ application to the Department of Homeland Security for reimbursement of costs Texas had to incur because President Biden refused to do his job.”
Congress allocated funding for states to recoup border‑security expenses through the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), a federal package administered jointly by DHS and the Department of Justice. Earlier this month, the agencies opened the application window for states seeking repayment.
Texas—by far the largest spender on state‑level border operations—aims to recover a substantial portion of its costs. Abbott said the state will also submit a separate reimbursement request to the DOJ in the near future.
Since 2021, Operation Lone Star has involved:
- National Guard deployments — thousands of soldiers stationed along the border
- DPS enforcement operations — troopers conducting patrols, arrests, and interdictions
- Border barrier construction — state‑funded fencing and wall segments
- Technology expansion — surveillance systems, drones, and sensors
- Drug and smuggling interdiction — seizures of fentanyl and arrests of suspected smugglers
Abbott argues these efforts were necessary due to what he calls “reckless open‑border policies” from the Biden administration.
The governor said he will work with the Texas congressional delegation, President Trump, and federal agencies to expedite repayment and return funds “back to hardworking Texans.”
