H.R. 1222 — Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act

This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Operation Lone Star Reimbursement Act.”

This section states congressional findings that the Federal Government is primarily responsible for securing the U.S. borders at and between ports of entry and that, from January 20, 2021, to January 19, 2025, Texas appropriated $11.1 billion in State taxpayer funds for border security. It also finds that Texas launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021 to address human trafficking, sex trafficking, drug proliferation, illicit weapons and contraband movement, criminal organizations, and unlawful entry, and reports that the operation resulted in more than 500,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants, 140,000 denied attempted illegal entries, more than 50,000 criminal arrests, seizure of 500 million lethal doses of fentanyl, and construction of more than 240 miles of border barriers.

This section directs the Governor of Texas to submit an application to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of the Treasury for reimbursement of expenses incurred by the State of Texas for activities related to securing the southern international border of the United States during calendar years 2021 through 2025. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to review the application within 120 days of receipt, determine which expenses are eligible for reimbursement, and report the final decision to Congress. It further requires the Secretary of the Treasury to pay Texas, from any amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the total amount determined to be reimbursable within 60 days after the Secretary of Homeland Security submits the reimbursement decision to Congress.