Donald Trump may be banned from a Texas city after ignoring letters demanding he settle his debt. The former President reportedly ran up a bill of $569,204 in the border city of El Paso when local police, firefighters, and emergency first responders reinforced his security during a visit there. City spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta told reporters that Mr. Trump had ignored several requests for payment, passing the expense on to taxpayers. She added that the debt has now risen by $98,787 due to lack of payment.
Officials in the Lone Star State’s sixth-largest city are even considering suing the former President for the cash and have called in attorneys for advice.
The event in question was held in 2019 at the County Coliseum, and the Secret Service requested local assistance. At the time, El Paso’s Mayor Dee Margo said, “People who don’t pay their bills—that’s a character integrity issue.”
Discussions about whether to ban the Republican from the city have resurfaced as the election looms. El Paso frequently hosts political speeches and debates about immigration—an issue central to Trump’s campaign. Previous Presidents, including Ronald Reagan, have used El Paso as a backdrop for immigration policy announcements, but Trump is the first and only leader to leave a substantial public debt in his wake.
El Paso City Attorney Karla Nieman said the city is in “unchartered territory,” but figures show it is not alone. Donald Trump has also run up unpaid bills in other cities and states, including South Carolina and Montana, and several are likewise pursuing him to settle his debts. In total, the former President reportedly owes more than $2 million, and some cities have passed the debt on to collection agencies. Albuquerque, New Mexico, for instance, has hired a debt collection organization to chase down funding owed by Mr. Trump.
The Trump campaign responded to reports of unpaid debt and said the Secret Service, not the former President, is responsible for security matters. “The campaign itself does not contract with local authorities for police involvement,” a statement read.
Nevertheless, some reports indicate that unnamed US cities intend to charge Trump for security services in advance.
