FLYNN: Texas Legislators Demand D.C. Pay Tab for Border Security Costs

Texas has spent $559 million since January 2013 Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas I have been on the border numerous times have personally observed what goes on and know what it takes for our men and women to secure the border said State Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van) as Texas lawmakers called on Washington DC to reimburse the state for costs related to the federal governments failure to secure the border. Texas has done an excellent job in finding ways to secure our border but it is time for the Federal Government to step up and reimburse the hardworking taxpayers of Texas. Texas is on the hook for $559 million in expenditures since January 2013 on populations illegally in the country. Those costs include:

• $104277316 spent by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) on border surge operations to detect deter and apprehend criminal activities by drug cartels and trans-national gangs;
• $3405241 spent by Texas Parks and Wildlife to assist with patrolling hot spots along the border;
• $37211923 spent by the Texas Military Forces in response to the governors order to deploy up to 1000 members of the Texas National Guard;
• $137100757 spent by county jails to incarcerate criminals aliens;
• $205092350 spent by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to incarcerate criminal aliens in state prisons;
• $72108476 to be spent by the Texas Education Agency on the education of unaccompanied minors from Central America who now reside in Texas. This figure does not include the education of children who came to Texas illegally with their family unit.

Lawmakers also acknowledge they are seeking reimbursement for a conservative amount noting that health care costs are not tracked by the federal government for these populations nor are costs for educating children who entered illegally with their family unit.

Texas has been taking on an unbelievable expense in taking care of and educating the thousands of unaccompanied minors crossing the border said Flynn. Texas has been doing everything it can to secure the border and protect citizens and it is time Washington does what is right and accept the consequences from the Administrations failed immigration and border security policies and reimburse our state.