Texas Governor Greg Abbott Demands the federal government repay his state more than $11.1 billion in taxpayer funds used to secure the southern border during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

In a letter to U.S. lawmakers on Thursday, Abbott said the Biden administration’s “refusal to do the job over the past four years” has allowed the crisis at the southern border to engulf the rest of the country.

“President Biden’s policies leave Texas and the rest of the United States vulnerable to violent criminals, known terrorists, and other hostile foreign actors like the dangerous Venezuelan Lange de Ren Alagua,” the governor wrote. No defense.”

House Republicans introduce bill to repay Texas billions to secure border

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the federal government to repay more than $11 billion in taxpayer money it spent on border security over the past four years. (Reuters/Callaghan O’Hare)

In response to the lack of federal action at the border, Abbott took matters into his own hands and launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021, which deployed the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to the U.S.-Mexico border border.

Operation Lone Star has Reduce illegal immigration Abbott said Texas has reached 87% over the past four years, proving the effectiveness of President Donald Trump’s border measures.

As outlined by the governor, the operation also resulted in the arrest of more than 500,000 illegal immigrants, stopped more than 140,000 illegal attempts to enter the United States, and resulted in more than 50,000 criminal arrests A fatal dose of fentanyl, More than 240 miles of border barrier were built and the only National Guard base along the Texas-Mexico border was established.

“Simply put, Texas has stepped up to reject the federal government’s rejection and in doing so is protecting all Americans from President Biden’s dangerous policies,” Abbott wrote.

House Republicans update push to repay Texas for ‘Operation Lone Star’ border security push

While he is proud of the operation, Abbott noted that the price tag for its success was more than $11.1 billion, which has been and continues to be paid for by Texas taxpayers when it “should be the responsibility of the federal government.”

Abbott said in a fee-breaking document that before the Biden administration, Texas spent about $800 million every two years to supplement federal work at the border.

Illegal immigrants pass through a coil of razor wire as they cross the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, in March 2024. Troops were brought into Texas by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“The burden our state bears is a direct result of the federal government’s refusal to do its job,” Abbott wrote. “The work Texas has done through Operation Lone Star has been protected and will continue to benefit the entire country.”

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House Republicans have proposed bills in the past to repay Texas billions of dollars Regarding border security, But the legislation never passed.