TEXAS — With President Donald Trump back in the White House, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week asked the federal government to reimburse the state for its efforts to secure the southern border during the administration of former President Joe Biden.

What You Need To Know

  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on the federal government to reimburse the state for its border security efforts over the past four years

  • Abbott says Texas has spent more than $11.1 billion in taxpayer dollars securing the border as part of his Operation Lone Star security effort

  • Texas has deployed National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety troopers to the border as part of the effort

  • In addition, Texas has installed miles of razor wire along the border, placed a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande and has constructed border wall 

A Thursday news release from Abbott’s office says the governor sent letters to U.S. congressional leadership and the entire Texas congressional delegation requesting reimbursement for the “more than $11.1 billion in Texas taxpayer money spent to secure the border due to the Biden administration’s refusal to do its job for the last four years.”

Launched in March 2021, Operation Lone Star is Abbott’s effort to increase security along the Texas-Mexico border. It draws on the Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard for resources. The Texas Legislature provided nearly $2 billion in taxpayer money for the effort.

The operation has been controversial. In July 2022, the Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation into Operation Lone Star. That was followed by a DOJ lawsuit in July 2023 over the placement of floating buoy barriers in the Rio Grande.

Texas refused Border Patrol agents access to a park along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A DPS trooper, in an email, alleged that migrants were injured by razor wire placed along the Rio Grande as part of Operation Lone Star.

A November 2023 report claims that vehicle pursuits conducted as part of Operation Lone Star resulted in many deaths, injuries and property destruction.

“Even though the federal government has a duty to secure our nation’s border, from day one former President Joe Biden refused to enforce federal immigration law and pursued reckless open-border policies that invited record-breaking illegal immigration,” Abbott wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

Abbott touted Operation Lone Star’s accomplishments.

“Under OLS, Texas law enforcement has apprehended over half a million illegal immigrants; repelled over 140,000 attempted illegal entries; made over 50,000 criminal arrests; seized over half a billion lethal doses of fentanyl—more than enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada combined; built over 240 miles of border barriers; and constructed the only National Guard base along Texas’ southern border,” Abbott wrote.

Abbott said the construction of border wall and deployment of buoys cost nearly $3 billion, the installation and fortification of 200 miles of razor wire and border fencing cost $58 million and the deployment of National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers cost the state nearly $6 billion.

He’s asking that Texas be reimbursed in full.