Petersen, Montenegro Press DHS for Arizona Border Security Repayment

Arizona legislative leaders have formally asked the federal government to reimburse the state for hundreds of millions of dollars spent on border security in recent years.

On September 10, Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem requesting repayment under the newly enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The legislation, recently signed into law, authorizes $10 billion to cover state costs incurred during the Biden Administration related to border enforcement.

According to the request, Arizona committed $599 million through its Border Security Fund in 2021 and 2022. In addition, the Legislature approved $145 million over five years to support law enforcement and border-related efforts. The funds have been directed toward a range of initiatives, including supporting county sheriffs, bolstering the Department of Public Safety, and furthering border infrastructure projects such as fencing and wall construction.

President Petersen highlighted that Arizona acted to maintain security at a time when, in the Legislature’s view, federal action was limited. He previously joined attorneys general from across the country on a tour of the southern border to review enforcement strategies firsthand. “Our Republican-led Legislature invested more than half a billion dollars to keep our citizens safe, and it is only right that those costs now be reimbursed,” Petersen said in the statement accompanying the request. He added that the Trump Administration’s approach has made border enforcement a renewed priority.

Speaker Montenegro emphasized the importance of oversight and accountability in the event that funds are returned to Arizona. He said the money would be deposited into the state’s General Fund under the supervision of the Legislature to provide relief to taxpayers. “Our citizens know they can trust the Republican Legislature to safeguard and wisely direct any funds Arizona receives through the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Montenegro stated. He also pointed to Arizona voters’ past support for stricter border measures, including the Secure the Border Act.

The letter underscores an ongoing debate over responsibility for border enforcement, with Arizona often at the center due to its proximity to Mexico and the challenges associated with migration and cross-border activity. State officials have long argued that border states carry disproportionate costs, while federal officials have maintained that immigration and border security fall under national jurisdiction.

The One Big Beautiful Bill represents a new mechanism to resolve at least part of this debate by setting aside federal dollars specifically for reimbursement. Arizona’s leaders are now seeking to ensure the state receives its share. How quickly those funds might arrive remains uncertain, as the Department of Homeland Security will need to review and process reimbursement requests from multiple states.

If approved, the repayment could return hundreds of millions of dollars to Arizona’s budget, easing fiscal pressures and offsetting what leaders describe as years of state-funded enforcement efforts. For Arizona taxpayers, it could mean a significant shift of costs back to the federal government. For state lawmakers, it represents a chance to underscore Arizona’s role in border security while recouping money already spent.

As the process moves forward, both Petersen and Montenegro have framed the reimbursement effort as not just a matter of fiscal fairness but also of recognition for Arizona’s position on the front lines of border issues. While the timing and outcome of the request remain unknown, the effort signals the state’s continued push to ensure its contributions to border security are acknowledged and compensated by Washington.