Texas to receive at least $7.5 billion from stalled border reimbursement fund, Cornyn says

The money comes from a $10 billion grant fund created in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, signed in July 2025, and administered by the Department of Homeland Security. Gov. Greg Abbott and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin negotiated the $7.5 billion figure, which represents three-quarters of the total available. Texas also stands to collect additional money through a separate $3.5 billion reimbursement fund run by the Department of Justice.

The backstory matters here. Texas spent over $11 billion on Operation Lone Star, the state-funded border security effort launched while the federal government under President Biden was drawing criticism for its immigration approach. That spending came straight out of state coffers, money that could have gone to roads, schools, or anything else Texans needed closer to home.

Cornyn, who lost his primary this year, said the funds are intended to reimburse states for costs incurred during the Biden administration, but actually moving the money to states has been slow.

That leaves a gap of over $3.5 billion between what Texas spent and what it is confirmed to receive, which may or may not be covered by the DOJ fund.