The "Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2025" establishes a grant program to reimburse eligible border communities for security measures, such as additional law enforcement wages, along the U.S.-Mexico border, with specific limitations and reporting requirements.
Ronny Jackson
Representative
TX-13
The "Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2025" establishes a grant program for local governments within 200 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border to reimburse security-related expenses, including wages for local law enforcement. To be eligible, communities must apply, provide required information, and not be sanctuary jurisdictions. Grant amounts are capped at $500,000 per fiscal year and cannot be used for certain purposes, such as funding nonprofits or providing resources to aliens. The Act requires annual reports to Congress and authorizes \$25 million in appropriations per fiscal year from 2026 through 2036.
Bill Offers Border Towns Up To $500K Annually for Security Under Proposed $25M Grant Program
A new federal grant program could soon offer cash to towns near the U.S.-Mexico border. The "Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2025" proposes setting aside $25 million each year from 2026 through 2036 for local governments within 200 miles of the border. The core idea? To help these communities pay for security measures, including extra wages for local police, related to border activity.
Cash for Security: How the Grants Would Flow
So, how does a town get its hands on this cash? First, it needs to be an official local government body located within 200 miles of the U.S.-Mexico line. Eligible towns can apply to the Department of Homeland Security for a grant, but there's a cap – no single community can get more than $500,000 in one fiscal year. The bill specifically mentions reimbursing expenses for "security measures," explicitly including additional wages for local law enforcement. To keep tabs on things, the bill requires annual reports to Congress detailing how the money is used until 2035.
Not So Fast: Who Qualifies and What's Off-Limits
Before towns start planning how to spend the potential funds, there are some significant hurdles and restrictions baked into the proposal. Crucially, any local government labeled a "sanctuary jurisdiction" – defined here as one that violates federal immigration laws or limits cooperation with DHS immigration detainers – is automatically ineligible. Furthermore, the grant money comes with strict spending rules: it cannot be used to reimburse non-profit organizations, pay for legal representation for migrants, or fund resources like education, housing, food, or healthcare for non-citizens (referred to as "an alien" in the text).
The Real-World Ripple Effect: What 'Security Measures' Might Mean
This grant program could mean a direct infusion of federal cash for eligible border towns, potentially easing the strain on local budgets for policing and security related to border issues. However, the bill leaves the term "security measures" fairly open-ended beyond mentioning police wages. What else qualifies? That lack of specificity could lead to varied interpretations and uses of the funds down the line. The exclusion of sanctuary cities and the strict prohibition on using funds for migrant aid also signal a clear policy direction, potentially influencing local approaches to immigration enforcement and the resources available to non-citizens in these border regions.