TX Republicans Plan To Drain $6.5 Billion More On Border Hysteria Despite Trump

Texas taxpayers face another GOP border splurge despite Trump's immigration actions.

For the last four years, we’ve listened to Republicans cry about the so-called “border crisis.” They made a mountain of lies, and depending on what channel you turned on and on which day, 10 million undocumented immigrants were flowing over the border… 20 million… 50 million… but Trump was going to fix it all. Right?

That’s what we were told. Trump was going to be re-elected to fix the border.

Since being sworn back in roughly 48 hours ago, Mango Mussolini has shut down the border for asylum seekers, reimposed the harmful Remain in Mexico policy, ordered 1,500 military troops down to the border, and authorized ICE to target courthouses, schools, and churches.

It would seem that whatever perceived threat Republicans see at the Texas border has been neutralized.

So, why are Texas Republicans planning to spend another $6.5 billion of our taxpayer dollars to “maintain current border security operations?”

The Texas Senate (SB1) and the Texas House (HB1) filed the state budget today. And Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows each put out statements regarding it. Here is Patrick’s:

The Republican budget proposal has many problems, including the $1 billion voucher scheme, which we’ll discuss soon. But if Republicans are so great for your wallets, why are millions of Texans struggling to keep food on the table?

Let’s talk about it.

Nearly 4 million Texans live in poverty, and our state ranks near the bottom for access to healthcare. Families are suffocating under skyrocketing property taxes. Texas has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country, and let’s not even get started on our crumbling public infrastructure.

Our schools are underfunded, and our power grid fails when it gets too hot or cold. The state has refused to invest in basic necessities like clean water and clean air for years. Yet here we are, with Texas Republicans proposing to shell out another $6.5 billion to “secure the border.”

$6.5 billion? For what? So they can hire more troopers to patrol a border that Trump already “secured?” So they can maintain their political theater while Texas taxpayers foot the bill?

Over the last few years, Texas has already spent almost $12 billion on Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott’s failing border security stunt, which has done nothing but militarize border communities and leave families traumatized. And now, they want to double down on this failure. Why? Because it’s a cash cow for them.

Here’s the con: Republicans have tricked their voters into thinking the border is their biggest problem. They’ve convinced people that undocumented immigrants, not corporate greed, not lack of affordable housing, not their failure to expand Medicaid, are the reason your wallet is empty and your rent is too damn high. Meanwhile, they’re quietly funneling billions into their pet projects, tax cuts for the wealthy, and schemes like school vouchers to undermine public education.

This isn’t about border security. It’s about control. They keep pushing this manufactured crisis because it keeps people distracted. If Texans ever stopped to realize how much Republican leadership has failed them, they might actually demand change.

Why are they so obsessed with spending billions to “protect” a border that Trump already claimed to have secured? Why are they willing to gut every other part of the budget to prop up their fantasy of being tough on immigration? They want us to believe that “border security” is the answer to all our problems, but the real border crisis is the one they’ve built: the border between the haves and the have-nots, between the elites they protect and the rest of us scraping to survive.

Texas doesn’t need $6.5 billion for another round of border posturing. Texas needs healthcare. Texas needs clean water. Texas needs public schools that actually work. But as long as the GOP is in charge, they’ll keep giving us walls and lies instead of the things we actually need to live.

The Senate will start holding hearings soon.

Both the House and the Senate gaveled in today momentarily, but hardly anyone came to work, since half the state is under ice. The House is set to meet again tomorrow, and the Senate on Friday. Athough the House members do not have their committee assignments yet, the Senate does.

Today, SB1 was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, which is led by Senator Joan Huffman (R-SD17). The Texas Senate Committee on Finance will be holding a hearing regarding sections in the budget under Article V (Public Safety and Criminal Justice) on Tuesday, January 28. This is when most of the border security money will be discussed in the Senate.

Calls to action:

1. Call your Texas State House Rep and Senator, demand they vote against any more money for the border. Mention how Trump has got it under control. Call them, even if they are a Republican. Don’t know who your reps are? Find out here.

2. If you can make it or are in the Austin area, the Senate Committee will be taking public comment on January 28.

I’ll have other calls to action regarding the budget later this week. The Senate Finance Committee will be meeting all next week to discuss various sections of the budget. So, stay tuned if you’re interested in attending a budget hearing.

Later in the session, there will be more hearings on “border security” in other committees, as well.

Now is the time to demand better.

The Republican obsession with border security is nothing more than a political smokescreen. A way to distract from the real crises facing millions of Texans. It’s easier to blame immigrants than to take responsibility for underfunded schools, unaffordable healthcare, and crumbling infrastructure. But we see through their lies.

Let’s remind our leaders that their job is to serve all Texans, not just their donors and political agendas. It’s time for real accountability. Let’s make it happen.

• January 24: Left In Texas Podcast - Representative Ana-Maria Ramos

• January 28: Senate Finance Committee - Article V

• March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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