Maverick County could lose between $800,000 and $1 million in state grant funding because it cannot advance operating expenses, District Attorney Roberto Serna told the Maverick County Commissioners Court on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Serna said about $2,003,629.91 remains available through the Border Prosecution Unit Grant Program, which helps pay for prosecutors, investigators, equipment and other costs of prosecuting border-related crime. The funds must be used by August 31, 2027. The state reimburses eligible expenses, but the county must first pay those costs. Serna said reimbursements generally take six to eight weeks.
County financial officials said reimbursed funds stay committed to the grant account until its obligations are met, which adds to cash-flow challenges. Serna also said his office is preparing for a future two-year grant request of more than $4 million. A proposed oil theft prosecution division could raise that request to about $4.9 million, he said.