Texas secures $7.5B federal border security reimbursement

Texas has received $7.5 billion from the federal government to reimburse the state for border security expenses, recouping a significant portion of the billions spent on Operation Lone Star since 2021.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security approved the reimbursement through a federal program established by Congress in 2025.

Texas has spent more than $11 billion on Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott’s state-led border security initiative, according to state officials and legislative records. The spending has supported Texas National Guard deployments, Department of Public Safety personnel, border barriers and other enforcement operations.

The reimbursement stems from a federal funding program enacted as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025. The law provided billions of dollars that state and local governments could seek for eligible border security and immigration enforcement expenses.

Texas submitted its application to DHS in June. The governor’s office said at the time that the state was seeking repayment for more than $10 billion in expenses incurred.

The state’s application sought reimbursement for a range of Operation Lone Star expenses dating to 2021, including personnel costs, border barriers and transportation operations.

Operation Lone Star began in March 2021. The state deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers to the Texas-Mexico border and financed infrastructure including sections of border wall, fencing and other barriers.

Texas officials repeatedly sought federal reimbursement for the program. Abbott asked the incoming Trump administration in January 2025 to repay the state, while members of Texas’ congressional delegation pushed to establish a reimbursement program as Congress developed its 2025 tax and spending legislation.

The resulting federal law established funding administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). DHS subsequently opened a $10 billion funding opportunity for states, and Texas applied for reimbursement. The $7.5 billion award represents three-quarters of that funding pool.

Texas could recover additional money through a separate Justice Department program for immigration-related law enforcement expenses. The governor’s office said that Texas also planned to seek funding through that program.

The reimbursement will also affect state budget planning as lawmakers prepare for the next legislative session. The Texas Legislature is scheduled to convene in January, when lawmakers will begin writing the state’s next two-year budget.

Because the federal award has now been received, the reimbursement can be incorporated into projections of money available to lawmakers as they make spending decisions for the next budget cycle.

Photo by Lewis Ashton from Pexels