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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Due to the lack of action by the federal government, |
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the State of Texas has been forced to continually appropriate funds |
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to secure the southern border of the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, In March 2021, Governor Greg Abbott launched |
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Operation Lone Star to address record levels of migrant crossings |
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and drug trafficking at the southern border; over the last three |
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years, Texas has invested approximately $11 billion into the |
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initiative; these funds have supported a variety of efforts, such |
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as implementing surveillance technologies, providing resources to |
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local law enforcement agencies, conducting legal and |
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administrative activities, and managing the public health and |
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humanitarian aspects of migration; and |
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WHEREAS, As part of Operation Lone Star, members of the Texas |
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National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety have been |
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deployed to the region to help detect and repel illegal crossings, |
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arrest human smugglers and cartel gang members, and stop the flow of |
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deadly drugs such as fentanyl into the United States; the program |
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has led to more than 516,300 apprehensions of illegal immigrants |
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and over 45,300 arrests; and |
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WHEREAS, Although it is the duty of the federal government to |
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secure the nation's borders, the State of Texas has expended |
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significant resources to help maintain safety and security across |
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the United States, and Congress should take responsibility for its |
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failure to address the crisis at the southern border; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United |
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States to reimburse the State of Texas in the amount of $11 billion |
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for border security costs incurred under Operation Lone Star; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of |
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Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the |
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president of the United States, to the president of the Senate and |
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the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States |
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Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress |
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with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |