Abbott says deploying more than 10,000 Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas DPS troopers to the border cost the state almost $6 billion.

In a letter to U.S. congressional leaders, the governor blamed previous border security policy for leaving Texas “defenseless,” forcing state officials to spend billions.

In a letter to Congressional leaders on Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott requested reimbursement for over $11 billion spent on Operation Lone Star, launched to secure the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration.

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott asked Congress to reimburse the state for billions of dollars in Texas taxpayer money spent on border security during former President Joe Biden’s administration. In letters Thursday to congressional leaders and the state delegation, Abbott requested more than $11 billion from Washington.

As president, Trump will likely have the final say in whether or not to grant Abbott’s request for a full reimbursement for Operation Lone Star.

Abbott said under Operation Lone Star state law enforcement has apprehended more than half a million undocumented immigrants, stopped more than 140,000 attempted "illegal entries," arrested over 50,000 people and seized more than half a billion doses of fentanyl.