U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced a major win for Texas taxpayers as the Senate unveiled legislative text for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping immigration and border security proposal that includes $13.5 billion in reimbursements for state-led enforcement efforts.
The funding provision, authored by Sen. Cornyn, would compensate states like Texas for costs incurred while independently bolstering border security during what Republicans have called the Biden administration’s "open border crisis."
“No state did more to protect and defend the southern border during the disastrous Biden-Harris open border crisis than Texas,” Sen. Cornyn said in a statement. “This is a win for Governor Abbott and the Texas Republican congressional delegation, who I worked with closely to ensure this reimbursement was made a priority.”
The reimbursement is aimed primarily at covering the costs of Operation Lone Star, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) multibillion-dollar initiative to deploy state law enforcement and National Guard troops to the border. Cornyn said Texas taxpayers have spent more than $11 billion on the operation since its inception, arguing that the federal government should bear the financial burden for border security failures.
“I was proud to lead this push in the Senate, and I look forward to voting for the One Big Beautiful Bill with this border security reimbursement for Texas included,” Cornyn added.
The bill’s release comes as pressure mounts in both parties to address immigration reform amid record numbers of unauthorized crossings. While Democrats have focused on providing pathways to citizenship and humanitarian protections, Republicans have made border enforcement and state autonomy key priorities.
Cornyn has long advocated for federal reimbursement for state-led enforcement, backing Abbott’s requests and raising the issue repeatedly on the Senate floor. His office said he has engaged in direct talks with Senate and House leadership and played a key role in shaping the legislative strategy behind the funding provision.
Details of the broader bill, including other immigration and border security measures, are expected to be debated in the coming weeks.
If passed, the reimbursement provision would mark one of the most significant federal repayments to a state for immigration enforcement costs in U.S. history.
