Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, there was coverage from the U.S.-Mexico border and analysis from political analysts around Texas.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is requesting $11.1B from the federal government for border security efforts by the state.
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Gov. Abbott claims Texas was burdened during the Biden Administration to secure the border.
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The governor sent letters to Congressional leaders and the Texas Congressional Delegation on Thursday.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is requesting $11.1B from the federal government for border security efforts by the state.
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Gov. Abbott claims Texas was burdened during the Biden Administration to secure the border.
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The governor sent letters to Congressional leaders and the Texas Congressional Delegation on Thursday.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas is urging Congress to pay Texas back for its border security efforts during the Biden Administration.
Gov. Greg Abbott seeks federal reimbursement for border efforts
EAGLE PASS, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 4: On Sunday, February 4, the National Guard supports Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other governors during a press conference along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to address border issues and Operation Lone Star.
On Thursday, Governor Abbott wrote to the Texas Congressional Delegation and congressional leaders.
He demanded that the $11.1 billion spent on Texas’ border security operation, Operation Lone Star, be reimbursed by the federal government.
The governor claims in the letters that Texas stepped up when the Biden Administration refused to secure the country’s borders, a responsibility that belongs to the federal government.
Texas places more buoys along Rio Grande after Trump’s inauguration
Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, uploaded a video of the big buoys being erected at the border between Texas and Mexico.
Abbott mentioned expenses of $58 million for border fencing and concertina wire, and over $3 billion for building more than 100 miles of border wall and installing buoys.
What they’re saying:
“The federal government’s failure to fulfill its obligations is directly responsible for the burden that our State has had to bear. “The entire nation has benefited from and will continue to benefit from the work that Texas has done through Operation Lone Star,” Governor Abbott wrote.
Based on the figures:
Gov. Abbott gave a breakdown of Operation Lone Star’s finances in the letter.
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$4.75 billion – Border wall, other border barriers, local border security grants, processing criminal trespass arrests, relocation of migrants
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$3.62 billion – Personnel costs deployment of National Guard soldiers
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$2.25 billion – Personnel costs Texas state troopers
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$311.2 million – Anti-gang intelligence
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$77.3 million – Court costs for prosecution of border crimes
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$62.6 million – Personnel costs game wardens
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$32.8 million – Health and safety services at criminal processing centers
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$19.2 million – Investigation and prosecution of vehicle thefts along Texas-Mexico border
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$13.7 million – Human trafficking interdiction by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
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$10 million – Removal of brush to improve visibility for law enforcement
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$5.2 million – Prosecutions by the Attorney General for crimes relating to human trafficking
Operation Lone Star
The backstory
In 2021, Governor Abbott initiated Operation Lone Star.
State resources, including over 10,000 state National Guard personnel and Department of Public Safety troopers, were sent to the southern border as part of the operation.
According to Governor Abbott, Operation Lone Star has prevented over 140,000 unlawful incursions into the state and resulted in over 50,000 criminal arrests.
Operation Lone Star has decreased illegal immigration into Texas by 87 percent over the last four years, according to the governor.
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump discusses the border following his inauguration. While discussing Texas’ border policy, the president became aware that the governor was present.
Governor Abbott was commended by President Trump shortly after his inauguration for the state’s efforts at the border.
The opposing viewpoint:
The effectiveness of Operation Lone Star has been contested by immigration rights organizations.
According to a 2024 analysis by the American Civil Liberties Union, petty offenses like as trespassing accounted for about 70% of the arrests.
The program mostly punished U.S. citizens, according to the same source.
The law enforcement presence in border areas has been met with opposition from some locals.
FOX 26 Jonathan Mejiatalked of Houston spoke to Eagle Pass, Texas citizens over the occupation of Shelby Park, which is currently off-limits to the public.
“Shelby Park being taken by soldiers… we used to have our public events there, and we certainly miss it,” Wendy Garcia remarked.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s letter to Congress
Look more closely:
Governor Abbott wrote to the entire Texas Congressional Delegation as well as the U.S. Congressional Leadership.
The letter is available here.
The Origin:The ACLU, the Office of Governor Greg Abbott, and previous FOX coverage provided the information for this report.
