Texas GOP Lawmaker Proposes Reimbursement Bill For Border Security Expenses

Amid the ongoing crisis at the Southern border, a Texas Republican has introduced legislation that would reimburse his home state for the taxpayer funds used to secure the border.

Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) proposed a federal bill that would pay billions of dollars to his state in reimbursement of costs incurred while taking steps to secure the Texas border from waves of illegal immigrants. The bill is known as the “Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act” and, if passed, would give the state nearly $4 billion.

The legislation declares that the American federal government is “primarily responsible for securing the borders” of the nation “at and between ports of entry.” However, the act cites a “lack of action” taken by the government to protect American citizens from an immigration crisis has resulted in Texas being “forced to continually appropriate funds to secure the southern border.”

Because the bill is a federal measure and involves the federal government, the reimbursement would be distributed by the Secretary of the Treasury, should the legislation be approved.

Posting on X on February 20, Williams emphasized how the Lone Star State has “spent billions” in efforts to protect its residents from “seemingly endless unlawful entries” that are coming through the southern border and “draining Texas’ resources.” He added that he is “proud” to sponsor the federal reimbursement proposal, noting that Texas taxpayers have been unfairly funding border security measures in recent years.

According to a copy of the legislation obtained by Fox News Digital, the state of Texas spent over $800 million from 2020 through 2021 and nearly $3 billion in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, the Lone Star State is anticipating future costs of more than $4 billion in 2024 and 2025.

The legislation provides a stipulation that an “application for reimbursement” must be submitted by the governor of Texas to the federal secretaries of Homeland Security and the Treasury. If passed, the law would require the Department of the Treasury to conduct the reimbursement transaction within 60 days of receiving the governor’s application.

The Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act was introduced less than a month after Williams proposed the State of Texas Operational Protections (STOP) Act. This bill seeks to reaffirm that the southern state has a right to defend the border through actions including the construction of a border wall. It also opened the door for Texas to pursue reimbursement for previous costs, a measure which is now specified in Williams’ most recent proposal.