Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2025
The Reimbursing Border Communities Act of 2025 would create a Border Community Reimbursement Grant Program under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The program would provide grants to eligible border communities to reimburse them for security-related expenses along the U.S.-Mexico land border, including higher wages for local law enforcement involved in border security. Grants are limited to $500,000 per eligible recipient per fiscal year and are funded only to the extent of appropriations. Eligible recipients are local governments within 200 miles of the border, must apply to DHS, and may not be “sanctuary jurisdictions.” Funds cannot be used to reimburse nonprofits, cover legal representation, or provide education, housing, food, or healthcare resources to aliens. DHS must report annually on grant use and program implementation through 2035, and Congress would appropriate $25 million per year from FY2026 to FY2036 to carry out the program. The act defines sanctuary jurisdictions and aliens for purposes of eligibility and use, and designates the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner as the reporting conduit to Congress.
Key Points
- 1Purpose and funding: Creates a DHS grant program to reimburse border communities for security-related expenses along the U.S.-Mexico border (including additional wages for local law enforcement); subject to annual appropriations. Maximum grant per recipient is $500,000 per fiscal year.
- 2Eligibility: Local government units located within 200 miles of the border, that submit an DHS-approved application, and that are not sanctuary jurisdictions.
- 3Use of funds: Grants may not be used to reimburse nonprofits, fund legal representation, or provide educational, housing, food, or healthcare resources to aliens.
- 4Reporting: The Secretary (via the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection) must submit annual reports to the House Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee starting within one year of enactment and continuing through 2035, detailing grant use, program implementation, and recommendations.
- 5Definitions: Clarifies what constitutes a sanctuary jurisdiction and defines “alien” per the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- 6Authorization of appropriations: Authorizes $25 million per fiscal year from FY2026 through FY2036 to carry out the program.
- 7Legislative context: Introduced in the House with multiple Texas-based sponsors; referred to the Committee on Homeland Security.