Greg Abbott to Get $3.7 Billion for Border Under New Republican Proposal

A House bill to reimburse Texas with federal funds for the cost of its border security operations has been proposed by a Republican congressman from the state.

Rep. Roger Williams' Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act aims to secure $3.7 billion in federal money for Texas' financial outlay on border security activities from 2020 through 2023, within 60 days upon submission of necessary documents.

The bill comes as tensions over security of the southern border have heightened following a surge in immigration, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, making it a national issue by bussing migrants to Democrat-led sanctuary cities.

In a press release, Williams said: "Since [President Joe] Biden refuses to do his job and safeguard the American people, Texas has been forced to step up to protect our homes and communities, and we must be reimbursed.

"I am proud to introduce the Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act to ensure Texans don't have to continually shell out taxpayer dollars to secure the southern border of the United States. Texas has spent billions to help maintain the safety and security of all citizens across the United States and fight back against deadly human trafficking, sex trafficking, drug and cartel activity, and seemingly endless unlawful entries that are draining Texas' resources.

"It's past time Biden recognizes this crisis for what it is and stands with Texans to secure our nation."

Newsweek reached out to the office of Governor Abbott, the office of Rep. Williams, and President Biden's office by email for comment on Friday morning.

According to the bill's text, fiscal years 2020 through 2021 saw Texas spend over $800,000,000 on border security, a figure that rose to more than $2.92 billion for the years 2022 through 2023.

Data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveals that nearly 3 million migrants crossed the border into the U.S. in the first 11 months of 2023, with almost 988,900 encounters occurring in the last three months alone.

This surpasses the totals of the previous years and exceeded the populations of 17 states. It has also prompted discussions in Congress about a comprehensive southern border bill aimed at addressing the issues of immigration reform, border security, and international aid.

There has been a struggle between Texas and the Biden administration over border policy. President Biden in late January acknowledged the limitations of his administration's actions and called for enhanced border patrol resources and legal avenues to address the crisis.

Governor Abbott has taken decisive steps to address the challenges posed by the influx, the most notable has been bussing migrants to sanctuary cities.

Since April 2022, according to a press release issued by Abbott's office late last month, Texas has transported over 120,000 migrants to sanctuary cities, including 12,500 to Washington, D.C., over 37,500 to New York City, and over 31,200 to Chicago.

The impact of Abbott's policy has reverberated through these sanctuary cities, with the mayors of New York, Chicago, and Denver issuing pleas for more federal assistance to manage the surge.

The bill is at the "introduced" stage in the legislative process, and will have to pass through the House Committee on the Judiciary, then Congress and the Senate, before finally requiring President Biden's signature to become law.