Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs sends federal government $750M bill for border expenses

PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday sent the federal government a bill of over three-quarters of a billion dollars for expenses related to border security.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Hobbs requested nearly $759.7 million from a $12 billion fund recently created to reimburse states for border security spending under the Biden administration.

The fund was part of H.R. 1, aka One Big Beautiful Bill, which President Donald Trump signed on July 4.

What is Arizona seeking reimbursement for border security expenses?

In her letter to Noem, Hobbs cited partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement that aim to keep illegal drugs out of the country and combat cartel operations in the state.

“By working together to deliver on our shared goals, we are making substantial progress in securing the border and curtailing border-related crime,” the Democratic governor wrote.

The reimbursement request included an itemized list of border security expenses incurred by Arizona from 2021 to 2024, including nearly $590 million in 2023 alone.

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