Texas leaders press for Trump, Congress to pay back the state billions of dollars for securing the border
CBS News Texas traveled to Washington, D.C., where Texas Gov. Greg Abbott met with members of the Texas Congressional delegation and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Reporter Jack Fink spoke with multiple members of Congress, including Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Republicans support the Abbott's request for reimbursement, but Democrats in Congress CBS News Texas spoke with sharply oppose it. (Original air date: February 16, 2025.)
Gov. Abbott returns to Washington D.C. for second straight week
With billions of dollars at stake, Gov. Greg Abbott pressed his case with Congress to reimburse Texas taxpayers for the money spent to secure the border. The governor has requested Congress pay back Texas more than $11 billion that the state spent to prevent illegal immigration.
At the U.S. Capitol Wednesday afternoon, Abbott spoke with CBS News Texas before he met with members of the Texas Congressional delegation. He later met with the House Speaker Mike Johnson.
"I met with him a couple of weeks ago, and what I can tell you is this," Abbott said. "The general counsel, the people that have been working with us behind the scenes, whether it be the Department of Homeland Security and the White House and the speaker's leadership, they've all been working to work towards getting this mission accomplished, so I'm feeling pretty good."
Abbott offers Trump Texas resources to secure the border
The Abbott also returned to the White House to meet officials to discuss the request, but unlike last week, he did not meet with President Trump.
Abbott said if Congress reimburses Texas, the federal government will receive about 70 miles of border wall that either has already been built or in the process of being completed shortly. The governor also offered the federal government 4,000 jail cells in state prisons to detain migrants and 2,400 beds to house U.S. troops and federal agents at the state's two newly built military bases.
Cruz says the White House allocated money to reimburse Texas
Sen. Ted Cruz told CBS News Texas that he's encouraged the White House to include billions of dollars to pay back Texas for its efforts to secure the border.
"Leaders from the White House came and joined the Senate Republican lunch and they included within their request for budget for border security the money to reimburse Texas and other states so that was a very good sign that the White House is asking for that funding," Cruz said in an interview at his office at the U.S. Capitol. "Certainly, from my end, I think it's critical we provide it."
Cruz said the White House allocated $15 billion for Texas and the other states as part of its total request of $175 billion directed to border security.
"I think that's right that the taxpayers of Texas should not bear the burden of what should be and is a national responsibility," said Cruz.
Both Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn were among the Republican lawmakers who met with Abbott.
Cornyn told CBS News Texas that he was optimistic that Texas would be reimbursed by Congress.
"I think people in the Trump administration including the President himself appreciate and understand the sacrifice that Texans have made and understand it's only fair to see the state reimbursed," Cornyn said.
Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, strongly rejected Abbott's request for being reimbursed by the federal government. He told CBS News Texas the state's efforts to prevent illegal immigration failed.
"The only time I remember the numbers going down was when Biden issued his executive order that made some changes to the asylum process," Veasey said. "I don't otherwise remember the numbers going down because, at the time that Gov. Abbott is claiming the numbers went down, he was still bussing people to New York. So, if the numbers are going down, why are you bussing people to New York? That doesn't make any sense."
Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch issued a statement criticizing the governor's request writing, "Nothing more than a political stunt that does nothing to help Texas families. The only thing that Governor Abbott and Republicans have done is spend billions on ineffective measures like Operation Lone Star and pass bills that violate your constitutional rights of due process, encourage racial profiling, and put the lives of Texans in danger."
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, also rejected the governor's request in a statement. The statement reads, "Instead of begging President Trump for billions of dollars to subsidize the terrorization of Texas students, parents, blue-collar workers, and seniors, Governor Abbott should have asked him to stop Elon Musk's theft of hundreds of millions of dollars of grant funding to Texas universities and hospitals."
Watch Jack's interview with Gov. Greg Abbott:
Watch Jack's full interview with Sen. Ted Cruz:
Watch Jack's full interview with Sen. John Cornyn:
Watch Jack's full interview with Congressman Marc Veasey:
Jack also spoke with four Republicans in the Texas Congressional delegation: Beth Van Duyne of Irving, Craig Goldman of Fort Worth, Jake Ellzey of Midlothian, and Tony Gonzales of San Antonio.
Watch Jack's full interview with Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne:
Watch Jack's full interview with Congressman Craig Goldman:
Watch Jack's full interview with Congressman Jake Ellzey:
Watch Jack's full interview with Congressman Tony Gonzales:
