How much is Texas spending on border security?

In an election year, border security and immigration have become prominent topics in the presidential race, particularly in Texas, which comprises about half of the US-Mexico border. The state has been allocating significant resources to fund border security measures.

“Texas has been steadily increasing its border funding for several years now,” reported Karen Brooks Harper, a journalist for the Texas Tribune. “This funding primarily comes from state taxpayer money, sourced from general revenue.”

The Texas State Government’s expenditure on border security is substantial. “They allocated nearly five billion dollars in border security funding during the last legislative session, covering the expenses for the next two years,” Harper explained.

However, some experts, such as Juan Carlos Cerda, the State Director for the American Business Immigration Coalition, question the necessity of such extensive spending on border security.

“Immigration plays a vital role in bolstering the Texas economy,” Cerda argued. “As the eighth-largest economy globally, Texas benefits from immigrants who contribute significantly to the economy, generating an income of almost $33.9 billion in spending power.”

Despite the significant investment in border security, Cerda suggests that the economic benefits of immigration warrant a reconsideration of the state’s spending priorities.