Texas Republicans in Congress are pushing the federal government to reimburse the state for over $11 billion spent on border security through Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, initiated in 2021. Senator John Cornyn insists any amount less than full compensation is unacceptable and refuses to support the budget reconciliation bill without it. Texas GOP members, including Rep. Jodey Arrington and Rep. Chip Roy, emphasize the commitment from Trump and Republican leadership to secure reimbursement. While $800 million is proposed for border enforcement reimbursement nationally, Texas Republicans seek much higher compensation, arguing the state covered federal responsibilities.
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Texas Republicans in Congress are ramping up their requests for the federal government to reimburse Texas for years of state spending on border security.
Sen. John Cornyn told The Texas Tribune that any amount less than $11.1 billion for Governor Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” would be “unacceptable.”
The Senator said he is not willing to vote for a spending package – also known as the budget reconciliation bill – that does not include reimbursement for Texas.
“I’ve seen some other numbers thrown around, but anything less than full compensation is unacceptable,” Cornyn said.
Abbott started Operation Lone Star in 2021 with a surge of state resources to the southern border as he accused the Biden administration of not doing enough to enforce immigration laws and prevent border crossings.
Since the start of the second Trump administration, Abbott and Texas Republicans in Congress have pressured President Donald Trump and congressional leaders to reimburse the state for its border security operation.
“We didn’t give it, we loaned it, they need to pay us back,” Rep. Roger Williams, R-Willow Park, told The Tribune. “We did everything the federal government should have done, so we need to get the money.”
Multiple members said they are cautiously optimistic that reimbursement would be included in the budget reconciliation package, which is currently being drafted in the House of Representatives. The package will be a large collection of bills related to federal spending and taxes created to match the budget outline Congress passed last month, which promised significant cuts.
Many of the 27 Texas Republicans in Congress have the ability to strongly influence the budgeting process. This includes Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, who chairs the House Budget Committee, which is tasked with combining the budget recommendations from House committees into one bill.
Arrington told The Tribune on Thursday that the amount that may be reimbursed to Texas is undetermined, but that the “commitment is there,” from Trump and Republican leadership to compensate the state.
“I just believe that when the ink is dry on the final product that that will be in the mix,” Arrington said.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, listed reimbursing Texas as one of his five reforms he wants included in budget reconciliation in a letter to House leadership. Roy, a member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, has in the past held out on supporting major legislation — including last month’s budget vote — to persuade leadership to make promises or alter a bill.
Roy told The Tribune that reimbursing Texas is one of many items he is pushing for, and one that he believes will be included in the final bill.
“What was the benefit of joining the union if the union isn’t going to defend the country?” Roy said.
Roy, like many Republican members, has pushed for sharp cuts to federal spending. But the congressman doesn’t view reimbursing Texas for Operation Lone Star as contradictory to this wider goal.
“We already spent it when it was the federal government’s job,” Roy, a member of the House’s budget and judiciary committees, said.
Roy said his other reconciliation priorities include an overhaul of Medicaid, repealing the Inflation Reduction Act and extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. His main focus, he added, is making sure the “math adds up” in the final bill and he is hesitant to draw any red lines.
Within the Judiciary Committee’s budget recommendations is nearly $800 million set aside for the reimbursement for state and local participation in supporting immigration enforcement and decreasing criminal gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human trafficking. While Texas would have a claim to this reimbursement, the total amount is well below the $11 billion requested by Texas Republicans and would likely be split with other states.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is the vice-chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, which did not include refunding Texas in its portion of the budget bill. McCaul said more details need to be worked out regarding how to repay other states that funded border security efforts.
“Texas had to stand up and do the federal government’s job when they weren’t doing it,” McCaul said. “I think it’s very appropriate that we reimburse the state and the other states that helped out as well.”
McCaul said that he wants the reimbursement of Texas to be added to the final bill – adding that the state deserves the money.
“It’s probably one of those things you don’t want to call a lot of attention to,“ McCaul said in an interview. “Sometimes it’s better to put something in and not make a lot of fanfare about it until afterwards.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said this week that he wants the House to pass the package by Memorial Day.
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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article discusses Texas Republicans’ push for federal reimbursement for the state’s border security spending, specifically in relation to Governor Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star.” The tone of the article reflects the perspectives of Texas Republican officials, including Senators John Cornyn and members of the House of Representatives such as Chip Roy and Roger Williams, who emphasize the state’s role in border security and seek compensation from the federal government. The content’s focus on the Republican Party’s demands and framing of border security as a federal responsibility positions the article with a Center-Right lean, aligning with conservative political views on immigration and state rights.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-16 15:50:00
In April, Texas’s oil and natural gas industry reversed March job losses, adding 1,700 upstream jobs, including 900 in services and 800 in extraction. From April 2024 to 2025, the sector gained over 206,000 upstream jobs, a 1% rise. Since September 2020, upstream jobs increased by 31.2%. Jobs pay an average $128,000. Despite fewer unique job postings in April (8,826) versus March (10,120), Texas leads U.S. states in energy job postings. The industry paid $669 million in production taxes in April and a record $27.3 billion in fiscal 2024. Growing U.S. power demand highlights the need for domestic oil and gas development.
(The Center Square) – Reversing from job losses in March, the Texas oil and natural gas industry posted job gains in April, according to the latest employment data.
The industry contributed to the state’s job gains, which again led the U.S. in job creation and broke multiple employment records last month, The Center Square reported.
Upstream oil and natural gas employment climbed by 1,700 in April over the month, representing an increase in 900 jobs in the services sector and 800 jobs in oil and natural gas extraction. In March, the industry reported job losses of 800 after reporting gains in January and February of 2,600 and 1,600, respectively, The Center Square previously reported.
From April 2024 to April 2025, the industry added more than 206,000 upstream jobs, a 1% increase. The upstream sector involves oil and natural gas extraction and some types of mining. It excludes other industry sectors like refining, petrochemicals, fuels wholesaling, oilfield equipment manufacturing, pipelines, and gas utilities that support hundreds of thousands of additional jobs statewide. Industry jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas, with an average salary of $128,000 in 2024.
“The oil and natural gas industry continues to demonstrate resiliency while facing uncertainty with underlying demand concerns,” Texas Oil & Gas Association President Todd Staples said. “These positive job numbers are a tremendous benefit to the families who are supported by this industry and are important for the communities in which they occur. Sound policies that support fair business practices and laws that keep our state competitive are necessary if Texas is going to continue to benefit from oil and natural gas activity.”
Since the COVID-era low point of September 2020, the industry has added 49,000 Texas upstream jobs, a 31.2% increase, averaging monthly growth of 891 jobs, TXOGA notes. Over the same time-period, months with upstream oil and gas employment increases outnumbered those with decreases by 39 to 15.
While there were new job postings, there was a decline in overall unique postings in April compared to March, according to an analysis of the employment data by the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO). Last month, there were 8,826 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry, compared to 10,120 in March.
Texas still had more postings than other states by far. California had 2,611 unique job postings in April, followed by New York’s 2,392, Florida’s 1,744, and Colorado’s 1,290, according to the data.
The top three companies posting the greatest number of unique jobs in April were Love’s (665), Cefco (655) and John Wood Group (280), TIPRO found. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, five were in the services sector; two were in a gasoline station/convenience store category, two in midstream and one in the oil and gas operator category.
In April, Texas energy producers paid $436 million in oil production taxes and $233 million in natural gas production taxes, according to Texas comptroller data.
This is after the industry paid a record $27.3 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties in fiscal 2024, The Center Square reported.
According to a recent U.S. Energy Information Administration Short-Term Energy Outlook report, U.S. power consumption is expected to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026. “The forecasts for surging power demands underscore the need for reliable power generation from domestic energy sources, including oil and natural gas,” TIPRO said. “Energy policies that support greater oil and gas development will continue to prove critical to keep up with the rising power generation needs in the U.S.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The content provides a factual, data-driven account of Texas’s oil and natural gas industry job performance. However, the inclusion of quotes from industry representatives, such as Todd Staples of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, and the emphasis on the industry’s positive economic impact, including high wages and tax contributions, suggests a framing that aligns more with a pro-industry perspective. The article highlights policies favorable to the industry and advocates for continued support of the sector, which subtly leans toward a center-right viewpoint. The reporting largely focuses on the economic benefits of the oil and gas industry without delving into environmental or regulatory concerns, a common characteristic of center-right coverage on energy topics.
SUMMARY: Deepak Kandel, 31, arrested for stabbing Akshay Gupta on a CapMetro bus in Austin, has a criminal record dating back to 2016, mostly misdemeanors. Kandel, who is homeless, admitted stabbing Gupta because he resembled his uncle. Surveillance showed the unprovoked attack. Kandel faces a murder charge. Past arrests include trespassing and felony harassment charges, many dismissed or reduced. Court records reveal prior mental health evaluations and competency assessments. Local officials note challenges with mental health hospital bed shortages affecting treatment of repeat offenders. Kandel’s bond is set at $500,000, with a court-ordered mental health supervision condition. Further statements are pending.
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has challenged asylum rights and birthright citizenship, leading to changes in U.S. border policies. Advocacy groups have criticized these shifts, which have limited asylum claims and worsened conditions for migrants. Asylum seekers were restricted to ports of entry with appointments, and many were turned back or detained. A report highlighted the risks faced by migrants who stayed in Mexico or returned to dangerous conditions. Faith-based and secular groups, including the ACLU, are fighting to restore asylum rights, with some advocating for a broader international response to the crisis.
