McCaul touts money in Trump tax bill to pay Texas back for fighting Biden border policies
There's a provision tucked into President Donald Trump's broadly ranging "big, beautiful bill" that could see Texas get billions of dollars in funds that it spent on the state's border security under the Biden administration.
The legislation earmarked $12 billion for a grant program allowing states to be reimbursed for costs they incurred trying to stem the flow of illegal immigration during the Democratic administration.
The measure was added to the bill hours before the final vote – but Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the former chairman of the House Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees, told Fox News Digital it was a product of months of negotiation.
"Early on, [Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., and I were discussing reconciliation going through the Homeland Security Committee. And, you know, there was about $70 billion for the border," McCaul said. "Texas bore the brunt of the federal mission the last four years and deserves to be reimbursed. And so he agreed, had a conversation with Governor Abbott, and he agreed."
While the text does not name Texas specifically, Fox News Digital was told that the measure's inclusion was primarily sought by the Lone Star state's congressional delegation.
The state of Texas, Fox News Digital was told, had incurred just over $11 billion in costs from Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to keep the border in his state secure.
"The fact of the matter is, when you look at the costs that were borne, Texas had the lion's share of [the burden] carrying out the federal mission when the Biden administration completely failed to deliver on border security," McCaul said. "My state built the border wall and built detention facilities. We bore a lot of costs."
Operation Lone Star alone cost Texas $11.1 billion, according to The Texas Tribune.
Rather than add it to the initial text of the bill, McCaul said, leaders opted to include it in a "managers amendment" that was added on Wednesday night along with several other issues that lawmakers needed more time to negotiate.
"The legislative process, it's something I've gotten to know over my 20 years and how to get things done up here. And I thought, you know, the way we worked it was strategically very smart," McCaul said. "It's going to the Senate now. And Senator Cornyn is going to take it up, be the champion in the Senate."
The Texas Republican first met with Abbott and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on the matter in early February, Fox News Digital was told.
McCaul said he also worked closely on the push with Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, who told Fox News Digital that "no state" carried more financial burden from the border crisis than Texas.
"Texas spent $11.1 billion on border security, including $5.87 billion on personnel costs and $4.75 billion on border wall and barriers. When the federal government failed to secure our border and protect our communities, Texans stepped up," Pfluger said.
Johnson, for his part, thanked McCaul for his efforts in a public written statement.
"Thanks to Rep. McCaul, states that stepped up to protect Americans in the face of Biden's border catastrophe will be reimbursed for doing the work the Biden Administration refused to do," the speaker said. "Had those patriotic governors not taken action and used the resources of their state, the devastation from Biden's wide-open border would have been significantly worse."
Green said of the need for the measure, "In the absence of help from the Biden-Harris administration, states were forced to take extraordinary measures to mitigate the crisis and protect their communities by building barrier systems and increasing law enforcement activity."
And while McCaul and his colleagues' efforts in the House do not guarantee that Texas will ultimately see those funds, it puts them one step closer to success.
The measure is one aspect in a multi-trillion-dollar bill that Republicans are working to pass via the budget reconciliation process.
By lowering the Senate's threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, reconciliation enables the party in power to pass certain fiscal legislation while completely sidelining the minority – in this case, Democrats.
Trump directed Republicans to use reconciliation to advance his policies on taxes, immigration, energy, defense, and the national debt.
The Senate and House must pass identical versions of the bill before it gets to Trump's desk.
McCaul told Fox News Digital that he was confident the measure would stay in the Senate bill after conversations with the Trump administration on the matter.
"I anticipate it will go forward," McCaul said. "I'm, just proud that we were able to get this done. I'm very proud of what my state did to stop the flow of illegals and dangerous actors coming into the country."
When reached for comment, Abbott told Fox News Digital, "This is a national issue that Texas was proud to address, and we are grateful for the allocation that reduces the financial burden that Texas incurred."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
17 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Zelenskyy says he backs Turkish proposal for a meeting with Trump and Putin
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.
Associated Press
22 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions
Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to records, while oil prices extended gains. Beijing and Washington dialed back trade friction as the U.S. extended exemptions for tariffs on some Chinese goods, including solar manufacturing equipment, that U.S. industries rely on for their own production. The U.S. Trade Representative extended those exemptions, which were due to expire on May 31, by three months through Aug. 31. Still, China criticized the U.S. on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1% to 23,417.39, while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.3% to 3,356.36. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.6% to 37,683.19. South Korean markets were closed for a snap presidential election triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosive trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.7% to 8,475.50. In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 1.4%. On Monday, U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records following a stellar May, Wall Street's best month since 2023. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,935.94 after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 42,305.48. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7% to 19,242.61. Indexes had fallen close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing. President Donald Trump has been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and their on-and-off rollout has created lots of uncertainty. But stocks rallied back as the day progressed. Nvidia climbed 1.7%, and Meta Platforms rose 3.6%, for example. Oil prices have gained as attacks by Ukraine in Russia raise uncertainty about the flow of oil and gas around the world. Early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil was up 62 cents at $63.14 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 57 cents to $65.19 per barrel. Markets took in stride fresh salvos between the world's two largest economies, just a few weeks after the United States and China had agreed to pause many of their tariffs that had threatened to drag the economy into a recession. That followed President Donald Trump's accusation at the end of last week, where he said China was not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other. Trump on Friday told Pennsylvania steelworkers he's doubling the tariff on steel imports to 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. That helped stocks of U.S. steelmakers climb. Nucor jumped 10.1%, and Steel Dynamics rallied 10.3%. On the losing side of Wall Street were automakers and other heavy users of steel and aluminum. Ford fell 3.9%, and General Motors reversed by 3.9%. Lyra Therapeutics soared nearly 311% for one of the market's biggest gains after reporting positive late-stage trial results of an implant to treat chronic sinus inflammation in some patients. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose as worries continue about how much debt the U.S. government will pile on due to plans to cut taxes and increase the deficit. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.44% from 4.41% late Friday and from just 4.01% roughly two months ago. That's a notable move for the bond market. Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, such increases in Treasury yields can deter investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments. Yields had dipped briefly in the morning, before rallying back, following the updates on manufacturing, which suggested that effects of Trump's tariffs are taking root in the economy. A report from S&P Global on manufacturing came in better than expected, though uncertainty caused by tariffs has worries high about supplier delays and rising prices. Also early Tuesday, the dollar rose to 143.10 Japanese yen from 142.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1438 from $1.1443. ___ AP Business Writers Stan Choe and Matt Ott contributed.
CBS News
27 minutes ago
- CBS News
San Francisco Marina District close to having new transitional-housing facility
A recovery housing facility proposed in San Francisco's Marina District is closer to moving one step closer to final approval. It's a part of the mayor's plans to open hundreds of new beds for homeless people struggling with addiction. Steve Adami spent two decades in and out of prison, struggling to escape a vicious cycle of drug addiction and crime. Looking at a California Corrections picture of himself, he reflected on how far he has come in his journey. "It's someone I don't recognize anymore. It was definitely somebody who needed a lot of help and support to get his life together, and that's what I got," said Adami. Tackling San Francisco's drug and homelessness crisis is now Adami's mission as executive director of The Salvation Army's The Way Out program. "Areas of the city have been overrun by public drug use, open-air drug markets and crime. I don't want that model in my neighborhood either. But that's not the model we're proposing at the Marina Inn," said Adami. The recovery housing facility, providing 68 beds at Octavia and Lombard Street in the Marina District, will be operated by The Salvation Army in partnership with the city's Department of Public Health. It's an abstinence-based, two-year transitional housing program for people who have already completed long-term drug treatment "This model program has not been the type of program San Francisco has used in the past," said Adami. Everyone is required to work, save money and get drug tested. "Sadly, many of the residents of this faculty will relapse. Statistics just show that's the case. When they do, they're now in our neighborhood," said San Francisco resident Maurice Fitzgerald, who lives in the Marina District. While many residents believe drug-free transitional housing can help clean up city streets and even help nearby businesses, others like Fitzgerald say they're concerned about relapses and participants who have criminal backgrounds. "We have concerns this will increase car break-ins and that desperate drug addicts will do whatever they need to do to find money to get their fix," said Fitzgerald. Adami and other city officials said sex offenders, arsonists, and people who have committed crimes against children won't be allowed. Garrett Collard is a resident at a similar recovery housing program. He said he would be back on the streets if it weren't for the Salvation Army's pilot program. "You're just right back where you started. You go six months and are clean, but if you have nowhere else to go or stay in another program or go to a sober living environment, you're back on the streets," said Collard. Adami points to participants like Collard and to recovering addicts like himself as reasons to support the city's Break the Cycle initiative, aiming to add hundreds of new treatment and recovery beds across the city. "The current administration and the Department of Public Health and Department of Homelessness are implementing new abstinence-based strategies because they're proven to be effective," said Adami. It's programs like this that are giving Adami hope others can follow in his footsteps too. The city has announced plans to open nearly 300 treatment and interim housing beds at five sites across the city by the end of summer. It's part of the mayor's Break the Cycle initiative to add 1,500 beds citywide for homeless people and those struggling with mental illness and addiction.
