Gov. Greg Abbott is asking the federal government for more than $11 billion in reimbursements to Texas for the costs of border security operations and wall construction during the Biden administration.
In letters sent Thursday to U.S. House and Senate leaders, Abbott requested $11.1 billion in federal funding to reimburse the state for spending since 2021 on border wall construction and costs stemming from Operation Lone Star. The letter, also sent to Texas’ congressional delegation, largely blames former President Joe Biden’s border security policy for leaving Texas “defenseless,” forcing state officials to expend billions.
“The burden that our State has borne is a direct result of a refusal by the federal government to do its job,” Abbott said in the letter.
Since the Biden administration attempted to halt construction and spending on border wall construction, Texas has gone to great lengths to increase border security significantly. Abbott issued a disaster declaration in 2021 covering more than 50 counties near the U.S.-Mexico border, allowing the state to deploy National Guard soldiers for Operation Lone Star and increase trespassing penalties.
Alongside the written request to Congress was a table breaking down how the $11 billion was spent, with $3.6 billion alone allocated to National Guard deployment, and $2.3 billion for Texas state troopers. Currently 4,200 soldiers are deployed at the border, according to the letter, and as many as 10,000 were stationed there during high points, leading to more than 50,000 criminal arrests.
The largest portion of the estimate — $4.8 billion — went to border wall construction, processing criminal trespasses and relocating migrants “out of small Texas towns.” Abbott clarified in the letter that about $3 billion went to border wall construction alone. The wall has cost the state anywhere from $17 million to $41 million to construct per mile in fragmented sections across six counties, and the letter claims more than 100 miles of the wall has been built since 2021. However, as of November 2024, only about 50 miles of border wall were confirmed to have been completed.
This is all bullshit, of course – none of this spending was authorized by the federal government, it was all discretionary and the result of state policy choices – but that doesn’t mean Abbott won’t get what he’s asking for. If this Congress is able to pass anything – not a sure bet – this will be in their highest-priority bill. It’s all very stupid, but this is where we are. The Chron has more.
Abbott wants the federal government to pay for using our money to promote himself. Not just no, hell no!
I’d be asking him where he got the $11B to begin with before I cut him a reimbursement check.
The $11 billion was stolen from Texas schools.
All spent to support Abbott’s reelection.
I think it is important to note that none of the Republicans in office actually want to solve the migrant problem. They have realized that it is election gold so there will be a lot of theater but not much change. Abbott can direct dump trucks full of cash to his pals to supposedly fix the problem, with a goodly proportion of it being returned to his campaign fund, and all of it being reimbursed by the Republican Congress from mostly blue-state taxpayers. What a deal.
I also expect the businesses that hire under the table but make the expected bribes, errrr , donations to not be raided.
@Ross : Amen, Brother.