Tex. Democrats urge review of use of covid aid to fund border crackdown

A group of Texas Democrats urged the Biden administration on Monday to probe whether their state had misused federal funds meant to respond to the coronavirus, after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) relied on pandemic relief to help pay for his crackdown on the U.S.-Mexico border.

The lawmakers' request stemmed from a string of recent budgetary maneuvers that had enabled Texas to defray the cost of its campaign, known as Operation Lone Star. Essentially, the state shifted about $1 billion in public health and safety funds to its border operations, including the deployment of Texas National Guard troops, while backfilling those agencies with federal pandemic aid, according to a Washington Post analysis of spending records.

"Texas has struggled immensely during the pandemic, and these funds are critical to help our state recover from the devastation of the past two years," the Democratic lawmakers wrote. "Governor Abbott must not be allowed to use federal coronavirus relief funds to further his political theater at the expense of Texas families."

Joining Castro and Escobar in signing the letter were fellow Texas Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Colin Allred, Sheila Jackson Lee, Al Green, Marc Veasey, Sylvia Garcia and Lizzie Fletcher.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said the agency had received, and is reviewing, the letter. A spokeswoman for the Texas governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The request adds to the burden already facing Washington as it struggles to keep close watch over the roughly $6 trillion in stimulus funds Congress has approved since the start of the pandemic. That includes about $500 billion in direct fiscal aid to cities, counties and states, a tranche of funds across two programs that carries few restrictions on how, exactly, it can be put to use.