Governor Greg Abbott recently met with President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss Texas’s extensive border security efforts and to request federal reimbursement for the state’s expenditures. Since 2021, under Operation Lone Star, Texas has invested over $11 billion in border security measures, including the construction of 56 miles of border wall, with an additional 18 miles planned. Abbott emphasized that these state-funded resources are available to the federal government to enhance national border security.
In addition to seeking reimbursement, Governor Abbott offered federal authorities the use of Texas-built facilities, including military bases and detention centers, to support the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement initiatives.
Despite previous indications of potentially reducing border security expenditures, Texas lawmakers have proposed allocating an additional $6.5 billion over the next two years to continue and expand these initiatives. This proposal underscores the state’s ongoing dedication to border security, even as federal policies evolve under the current administration.
Governor Abbott’s stance includes directives for state agencies to collaborate with federal partners in enforcing immigration laws, deploying additional border barriers, and sharing intelligence on criminal organizations.
The meeting between Abbott and Trump shows Texas’s role in national border security efforts and the state’s pursuit of federal support to sustain and enhance these operations.
