In a clear sign of Texas commitment to securing its southern border, the state government has announced a historic $6.5 billion investment to strengthen security operations along the border with Mexico. This allocation of resources is the highest in Texas’ history and is part of the security strategies launched in 2021 with the creation of Operation Lone Star.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott defended the decision to allocate this huge sum, highlighting the increase in irregular crossings and the urgent need for more robust responses. Since the start of Operation Lone Star, Texas has invested nearly $20 billion in various security efforts, including building walls, deploying troops, and increasing the number of law enforcement officers. Abbott has emphasized that these funds are necessary to address a crisis that he says has been exacerbated by the federal government’s inaction.

Budget distribution: How will the funds be used?
The recently approved budget is distributed among several key state agencies. The Texas Senate has allocated $2.9 billion to the governor’s office, $2.3 billion to the Texas Military Department and $1.2 billion to the Department of Public Safety. In addition, $402 million has been earmarked to bolster local police forces.
Republican senators mainly argue that this investment will strengthen state security capabilities, improving incident response and speeding up the implementation of stricter immigration policies. The investment also seeks to increase police presence and speed up the construction of border infrastructure, to contain irregular migration flows and prevent further crime in the area.

New initiatives: Expansion of authority and continuation of works
One of the main measures that has been put in place with this new budget is the creation of a Border Protection Unit, which will have the authority to make arrests, thus expanding the state’s capabilities in terms of border control. Until now, the Texas authorities could only collaborate with federal agents on immigration issues, but with this new unit, the state will be able to act more autonomously.
At the same time, the construction of the border wall will continue, although this initiative has been criticized due to its slow progress and costs that exceed initial projections. According to official reports, so far only a small section of the wall has been completed, while budget projections for its construction continue to rise.
Governor Abbott and his request for reimbursement from the Trump administration.
Amid this backdrop, Governor Abbott has asked Donald Trump’s administration for reimbursement of more than $11.1 billion for state funds used to secure the southern border during the Joe Biden administration. Abbott argued that ‘federal inaction’ in the face of the immigration crisis has forced the state to take drastic measures and assume costs that he said would traditionally fall to the federal government.
He also highlighted the results to date, noting that Operation Lone Star has reduced illegal immigration by 87 percent and has led to the detention of more than half a million illegal immigrants. Despite this success, Abbott acknowledged that the high costs of the operation are being covered by Texas taxpayers, an expense he said should have been borne by the federal government.

A sustainable strategy or an overspend?
Texas’ historic investment in border security has generated intense debate over its effectiveness and long-term sustainability. While the Abbott administration argues that these funds are necessary to address a crisis on the southern border, opponents have questioned the priority given to security to the detriment of other more pressing issues, such as education and public health.