The Trump administration approved $7.5 billion for Texas to cover part of the state's border-enforcement spending under Operation Lone Star in the United States. Gov. Greg Abbott said the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Administration approved the grant on Sept. 17, ending a 14-month delay after Congress created a $13.5 billion reimbursement fund in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act; Texas had sought reimbursement for more than $11 billion spent on barriers, personnel, migrant transport and other measures.
Why it matters: The decision sends a large share of federal border funds to a state that built its own enforcement operation during the Biden years, affecting state budgets and the politics of state-federal immigration authority. Supporters call it repayment for costs Texas bore, while critics of Operation Lone Star have opposed the program's enforcement tactics and spending.
Gabby Birenbaum
2026.09.18
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct story about the federal government formally releasing reimbursement money to Texas for its past border-security operations, rather than a deportation, asylum, or court case already tracked.
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