States that fought President Joe Biden‘s border policies could see a boon under little-known provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Tucked deep into the bill’s text are a pair of provisions that could send $13.5 billion back to state and local governments for immigration enforcement, with more than one shot taken at Biden along the way.
One is the Bridging Immigration-Related Deficits Experienced Nationwide reimbursement, an acronym that spells “BIDEN,” which is worth $3.5 billion. The other, known as the State Border Security Reinforcement Fund, is worth even more at $10 billion. Both can be used for expenses dating back to Jan. 20, 2021 — Biden’s Inauguration Day.
While neither is named directly, Arizona and especially Texas should see the bulk of the benefit from the twin funds, as both fought hard against the Biden administration over immigration.
“It makes those states whole for the noncompliance with the criminal detention provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act under the last administration,” Center for Immigration Studies fellow Art Arthur said. “I think Texas is going to be the biggest beneficiary, followed by Arizona, because of the actions that they took under the last governor.”
Texas, under Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), fought Biden for almost his entire term, setting up buoys in the Rio Grande, erecting its own version of a border wall, and sending state troopers to the border to supplement Border Patrol.
Abbott, who fought hard for the provision’s inclusion in the OBBBA, hopes to recoup billions of dollars in expenses.
“The investments in the Big Beautiful Bill will ensure that we are able to keep the border secure,” Abbott press secretary Andrew Mahaleris said. “Governor Abbott is especially thankful for the Texas Congressional Delegation’s efforts to ensure Texas is reimbursed for holding the line against the Biden administration’s open border policies.”
Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, put up his own fight against the Biden administration, creating a makeshift border wall out of shipping containers among other measures.
Ducey is no longer in office, but his replacement, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), is hoping for a cut as well.
“I’m looking forward to getting paid back,” Hobbs said with a laugh during a Thursday press conference. “We sent an invoice, if you will, a while back under the Biden administration. I can get back to you with the specifics of what those costs were that we asked for reimbursement. And there’s a lot more now. And I think we’re working on the total there.”
In 2023, Hobbs sent in a $512 million reimbursement request for the state’s border security spending. Now, she may see that money returned to the state’s coffers.
Arthur said the funding could also protect states against a future president with lax immigration policies, as it comes amid other legislation strengthening their case.
If states believe they will be reimbursed, they will feel more protected in moving to enhance their own border security, he said. The bipartisan Laken Riley Act, signed earlier this year, also ensures that states have standing to sue if the federal government does not take criminals into custody as required by the Immigration and Nationality Act.
In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Texas that Texas and Louisiana did not have standing to sue the Biden administration to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants as required by the law.
“The whole point of the Laken Riley Act was to give states standing to sue when the federal government fails to take those people into custody,” Arthur said.
The BIDEN fund will be administered by the Justice Department, while the State Border Security Reinforcement Fund will be run through the Department of Homeland Security. Neither agency responded to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
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The BIDEN fund’s reimbursements will pay for things such as locating and apprehending illegal immigrants, investigating gangs, prosecuting crimes committed by illegal immigrants, detention, transportation, and vehicle maintenance. It will be available through Sept. 30, 2028.
The State Border Security Reinforcement Fund will pay for border wall construction, buoys, personnel and planning costs, materials, and detection of illicit substances. It will be available until Sept. 30, 2034.