Governor Greg Abbott today announced $15 million in federal Operation Stonegarden Grant Program (OPSG) funding to increase operational capabilities of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies along the border. The grants are part of the $30 million in Operations Orders approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the current year’s grant program. These funds ensure that law enforcement partners are equipped with the resources they need to confront the complex and dynamic challenges that exist along the Texas border.
“The state of Texas is committed to utilizing these resources to continue to help secure our southern border,” said Governor Abbott. “I am grateful for our continued partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the additional funding the agency is providing to help carry out this mission. These grants will provide much-needed support for the men and women of law enforcement who are working to combat the crisis at our southern border.”
DHS/FEMA allocated more than $30 million in OPSG funding to the State of Texas last year, which was an increase of more than $10 million from the prior year. Eligible local units of government and federally recognized tribal governments work in coordination with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the United States Border Patrol (USBP) to develop Operations Orders that support border security needs identified by each USBP Sector. Once all federal reviews of planned Operations are complete, Texas is able to obligate the funds to participating law enforcement agencies. Local jurisdictions receiving funding through these latest OPSG awards include 50 law enforcement agencies located in the following 18 counties: Bee, Calhoun, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, El Paso, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kinney, Kleberg, Nueces, Presidio, Refugio, Val Verde, Victoria, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.
The Homeland Security Grants Division (HSGD), a subset of the Governor’s Public Safety Office (PSO), is responsible for administering OPSG funding as part of the larger Homeland Security Grant Program from DHS/FEMA. Local units of government along the southern border that are interested in learning more about this program should contact one of the five (5) USBP Sectors (https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/border-patrol-sectors) consisting of Big Bend, Del Rio, El Paso, Laredo and Rio Grande Valley, or the PSO at 512-463-1919.
