Texas received a $7.5 billion federal reimbursement for border security costs, Governor Greg Abbott announced. The Department of Homeland Security approved the payment under the State Border Security Reinforcement Fund.
The reimbursement covers costs from Operation Lone Star, which deployed Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety troopers to the border. According to Abbott's office, the operation built border barriers and used technology to reduce what it described as illegal border crossings by more than 80 percent.
Abbott said Texas taxpayers had incurred the costs after the federal government, under the prior administration, did not enforce immigration law. Texas is also applying for an additional $3 billion in Department of Justice funds to cover remaining costs.