Gov. Greg Abbott has called on Congress to reimburse Texas for over $11.1 billion in state taxpayer funds spent on border security, citing what he describes as the federal government’s failure to address the border crisis under President Joe Biden.
In letters sent to congressional leadership and the Texas delegation, Abbott highlighted the state’s efforts to combat illegal immigration, violent criminals, and international threats through Operation Lone Star.
“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,” Abbott wrote. He credited OLS with reducing illegal immigration into Texas by 87 percent and demonstrating the effectiveness of Trump-era border policies.
The request follows Abbott’s meeting with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson last week in Washington, D.C., where they discussed border security and strategies to address what Abbott described as the “damage done” by the Biden administration.
The full letters can be viewed here.
