Three live roosters stuffed in stockings hidden under floormats discovered by CBP agriculture specialists at Laredo Port of Entry. USCBP Image
Texas Border Business
LAREDO, Texas –CBP officers and agriculture specialists at the Laredo Port of Entry intercepted live roosters, commonly used for cockfighting, in two separate enforcement actions over the last two weeks.
“On two separate occasions in recent weeks, CBP officers and agriculture specialists made an unusual discovery, roosters deeply hidden within passenger vehicles,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “We remain committed to upholding our agriculture mission, preventing the spread of animal diseases and preventing the exploitation of live animals.”
The most recent incident happened on April 11 at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge when CBP officers referred a pickup truck for a secondary inspection. At secondary, CBP agriculture specialists discovered live poultry in stockings under the front seats and in the center console. CBP personnel intercepted a total of six live roosters.
On March 24, CBP officers at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge referred a pickup truck for secondary examination. During the examination, CBP officers and agriculture specialists encountered four live roosters hidden within the center console of the vehicle. A $300 penalty was assessed to the driver.
The roosters from both seizures were transferred over to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Veterinary Services.
CBP would like to remind the public of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulations that live birds, fresh eggs, and raw poultry are prohibited from Mexico as Mexico is affected with virulent Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Both of these diseases affect poultry, are serious diseases of concern and are highly contagious. Attempting to bring in these prohibited items would lead to traveler delays and may result in a fine ranging from $300 to $1,000.
On the border at land, air and sea-based ports of entry, including Laredo, CBP officers and agriculture specialists continue to fulfill CBP’s agriculture mission by excluding harmful pests and diseases from becoming established in the U.S. For more information regarding CBP’s agriculture mission, click on the following link. More information regarding HPAI or virulent Newcastle Disease can be found at link or link.
Commissioner Villarreal and his Precinct 3 team receiving the Quick Draw Award. Courtesy Image
Texas Border Business
MISSION, Texas – This past weekend, Hidalgo County Precinct 3 was awarded the “Quick Draw” award at the 2023 Urban County Leadership Conference held at the Isla Grand Hotel and Conference Center at South Padre Island.
The award is presented to the Hidalgo County Precinct with the lowest ratio based on total funding expenditures for all eligible projects.
What does this mean?
Precinct 3 spent all the total allocations provided by Hidalgo County Urban County on qualifying street improvements.
Commissioner Villarreal has been instrumental in ensuring that Precinct 3 roads are well-maintained and paved to the highest standard. His efforts have resulted in the successful completion of numerous projects that have enhanced the safety and accessibility of Precinct 3 roads. Through his leadership, the Precinct has been able to pave more roads than ever before.
“I am honored to receive this prestigious award and grateful for the recognition of my team’s hard work,” said Commissioner Villarreal. “We are committed to providing our citizens with safe, well-maintained roads that are essential to their daily lives. This award is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of the entire Precinct 3 team, and I am proud to lead such a talented group of professionals.”
The Quick Draw Award is a highly coveted recognition in Hidalgo County, and Commissioner Villarreal’s achievement highlights the Precinct’s commitment to providing excellent infrastructure to all Hidalgo County residents. His hard work and dedication to public service have helped make the Precinct a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
For more information about Precinct 3 and its projects, please visit their website, follow Commissioner Villarreal on his social media outlets, or call their office at (956)585-4509.
Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Eddy Betancourt to the Texas Facilities Commission for a term set to expire on January 31, 2029. Image Source: https://www.txdirectory.com/
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Eddy Betancourt to the Texas Facilities Commission for a term set to expire on January 31, 2029. The Commission controls state buildings, grounds, or property and responsibility for maintenance, repair, and construction of state buildings for the State of Texas.
Eddy Betancourt of Mission is president of R&B General Construction Co Inc., co-owner and president of National Tire and Wheel, LLC, and a general retail partner manager for E2H Investments. He is a member of the McAllen Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Additionally, he is member of the Hidalgo County Appraisal District Board of Directors and ENACTUS Advisory Board. Betancourt received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and International Business Studies from The University of Texas Pan American.
This appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
The FBI announced the addition of Wilver Villegas-Palomino to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Image courtesy of FBI
Texas Border Business
The FBI announced the addition of Wilver Villegas-Palomino to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
Villegas-Palomino is a ranking member of the National Liberation Army or Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a transnational criminal organization and foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. Department of State Narcotics Rewards Program is offering up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or his conviction.
Villegas-Palomino directs the ELN Northeastern War Front (ELN-NEWF), one of six regional ELN war fronts that controls the Catatumbo area of Colombia and Venezuela. The ELN-NEWF oversees multiple laboratories that collectively produce an estimated 200 tons of cocaine annually that are transported worldwide.
View the document below for more information:
The ELN uses proceeds from Villegas-Palomino’s drug trafficking enterprise to fund terrorist attacks, launch sabotage operations, buy political influence, and engage in other malign activities designed to destabilize government institutions and subvert U.S. national security and law enforcement interests in the region.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Villegas-Palomino in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, on February 13, 2020, after he was charged with narcoterrorism, international cocaine distribution conspiracy, and international cocaine distribution.
“Villegas-Palomino continues to present a grave threat to the community through his cocaine and narcoterrorist empire,” said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Nick Zarro, who is overseeing the investigation out of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Cocaine produced in Villegas-Palomino’s laboratories ultimately ends up on U.S. streets, plaguing local communities and driving spikes in violent crime.”
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a federal drug enforcement program overseen by the U.S. Attorney General and the Department of Justice, has named Villegas-Palomino a consolidated priority organization target (CPOT), which is reserved for those involved in the most significant international drug trafficking operations affecting the United States.
Zarro hopes the poster and publicity will move hesitant associates to come forward with tips. “Continued publicity of Villegas-Palomino’s status on this list will disrupt his ability to travel abroad, restrict his ability to meet with international drug trafficking associates, and hamper his ability to recruit new members—and will generate leads and intelligence for law enforcement,” he said.
Villegas-Palomino is 41 years old and has black hair and brown eyes. He is between 5’7” and 5’9” tall and weighs about 190 pounds. He is a Colombian national and speaks Spanish. Aliases include Carlos El Puerco (“Carlos the Hog”), El Puerco, Wilver Villegas, and Wilver Palomino.
If you have any information concerning Villegas-Palomino, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp (neither a government-operated nor government-controlled platform) at (281) 630-0330. You can also contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Title 42, a section of the United States Code (USC) that pertains to public health, welfare, and safety, has been a topic of discussion as it was expected to end last year but has now been extended until May 11th. USCBP Image for illustration purposes
Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
In a recent Fox News interview, Art del Cueto, the Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council, discussed the challenges border patrol agents face. He explained that agents are primarily stationed in processing centers instead of actively protecting the nation’s borders, where they fingerprint incoming groups and verify their records before ultimately releasing them. This situation frustrates agents who joined the force to defend the country’s borders.
Title 42, a section of the United States Code (USC) that pertains to public health, welfare, and safety, has been a topic of discussion as it was expected to end last year but has now been extended until May 11th.
Administered mainly by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Title 42 covers multiple topics, including public health service, health research, health care quality, mental health, and substance abuse.
In relation to immigration policy, Title 42’s Section 265 has been invoked, allowing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to deny entry to individuals if their presence would pose a public health risk. This provision was used in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to enable the swift expulsion of migrants at the U.S. border without standard legal processes like asylum hearings in an effort to curb the virus’s spread.
Title 42, in this context, has been controversial, as opponents argue that it violates asylum seekers’ rights and is not a necessary public health measure. Conversely, supporters insist it is crucial to protect both migrants and the U.S. population from the virus.
Governor Abbott on Wednesday announced that DPS seized over 3.1 million lethal doses of fentanyl, or about 14 pounds, during a single Operation Lone Star traffic stop in Mission. This seizure marks one of the largest single fentanyl seizures by the border mission to date. Photo: Texas DPS
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between ports of entry.
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 365,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 27,000 criminal arrests, with more than 24,000 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, DPS has seized over 380 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.
Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden’s open border policies.
Following Governor Abbott’s One Pill Kills Summit in Austin last week, he joined Fox News to discuss the new initiatives Texas is launching to combat the growing national fentanyl crisis and save innocent lives, including a $10 million multimedia awareness initiative and plan to distribute Narcan to all 254 Texas counties. Last year, more than 2,000 lives were lost to fentanyl in Texas—a 500% increase since 2019—as President Biden continues to ignore the human costs of his reckless open border policies.
“So many victims are completely unaware that they are taking pills with fentanyl laced onto them by the Mexican drug cartels,” said Governor Abbott. “There must be a national campaign, because when fentanyl comes across the border, it does not stay in Texas. It goes throughout the entire country, and other states are facing this same problem.”
Governor Abbott on Wednesday announced that DPS seized over 3.1 million lethal doses of fentanyl, or about 14 pounds, during a single Operation Lone Star traffic stop in Mission. This seizure marks one of the largest single fentanyl seizures by the border mission to date.
“Fentanyl is the single greatest drug threat our state and country has ever known, and this record amount of fentanyl seized would have otherwise made its way into communities across Texas and the nation because of President Joe Biden’s open border policies,” said Governor Abbott. “Through Texas’ historic Operation Lone Star mission, a DPS trooper prevented 3.1 million lethal doses of fentanyl—enough to kill every Texan in Austin, Dallas, and El Paso combined—from taking more innocent lives during a single traffic stop.
DPS troopers arrested two men from Louisiana for attempting to smuggle illegal immigrants in Kinney County. A trooper attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation last week, but the driver refused to pull over. During the vehicle pursuit, the car drove through a gate, which caused it to stall, and the driver and a passenger tried to flee on foot.
The driver and passenger were apprehended. Six illegal immigrants—from Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador—were discovered in the trunk and referred to Border Patrol. The driver was a confirmed Bloods street gang member wanted by Baton Rouge police for two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
A human smuggler attempted to run over a DPS trooper while trying to evade capture during a high-speed pursuit. The trooper tried to conduct a traffic stop in Zavala County, but the driver refused to stop and took off into Maverick County, reaching a speed of 120 miles per hour. As a trooper deployed stop sticks, the driver attempted to run him over.
The driver eventually lost control and bailed out into the brush. He was located, arrested, and charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault on a public servant. He also was found to have an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Two human smugglers were arrested and charged after leading DPS troopers on a high-speed pursuit in Kinney County. During the pursuit, the driver allowed nearly a dozen illegal immigrants to bail out and evade capture. The driver and passenger from Gonzalez were eventually stopped and arrested. Both are charged with human smuggling and evading arrest.
Texas National Guard soldiers constructed razor wire barriers along the Texas-Mexico border to deter illegal immigrants from crossing the border. Near El Paso, the barriers are built in specific areas known for high volumes of illegal immigrants attempting to cross, while in the Rio Grande Valley brush teams of experienced trackers use drones and advanced sensors to detect and apprehend illegal immigrants traveling in dense brush and on private property.
“Whenever illegals or migrants cross the border, we arrest them with criminal trespassing whenever they enter their property,” said Sgt. Wallace in Laredo. “We patrol these private properties with DPS, mainly on foot, looking for signs of any migrant crossing. I feel like myself and my team have made a very large impact.”
DPS Trooper Seizes 38 Lbs. Of Cocaine During Traffic Stop In Corpus Christi
Photo: Texas DPS
A DPS trooper seized 38 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop in Corpus Christi after stopping a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the search of the vehicle, the trooper discovered 15 tape-wrapped bundles of cocaine. The driver from Louisiana was arrested and faces charges for possession of a controlled substance.
Texas National Guard Apprehends Multiple Groups Of Illegal Immigrants In Laredo
Photo: Texas Military Department
Texas National Guard soldiers assisted with the apprehension of multiple groups of illegal immigrants attempting to cross the border. Sensors alerted law enforcement of the many illegal immigrants approaching from the riverbanks along the Rio Grande River in Laredo.
Soldiers moved into a blocking position to limit the possibility of the groups accessing the nearby neighborhoods, where illegal immigrants frequently attempt to evade detection.
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to Del Rio Sector arrested a Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member, and a registered sex offender, shortly after they illegally entered the United States.. USCBP Image
Texas Border Business
DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to Del Rio Sector arrested a Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member, and a registered sex offender, shortly after they illegally entered the United States.
April 5, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Brackettville Station agents received call for assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Agents responded to the location, on Highway 90 near Brackettville, and determined Christian Alexis Robles-Hernandez, a 26-year-old Salvadoran national, was illegally present in the United States. Robles-Hernandez was transported to a processing center and record checks revealed he is an MS-13 gang member. He was most recently deported in 2016.
April 6, Uvalde Station agents apprehended Jose Lopez Arias, 41, a Guatemalan national, while he attempted to avoid detection near Uvalde. Record checks revealed Lopez Arias was convicted of sexual assault of a minor, in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2014. Lopez Arias was sentenced to 15 years confinement and was most recently deported in 2019.
They face a charge of 8 USC § 1326 – Re-entry after Deportation, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Agents assigned to the McAllen Border Patrol station responded and rendered first aid after a migrant suffered an allergic reaction due to numerous bee stings. USCBP IMAGE
Texas Border Business
HIDALGO, Texas – Agents assigned to the McAllen Border Patrol station responded and rendered first aid after a migrant suffered an allergic reaction due to numerous bee stings.
McAllen Border Patrol agents encountered a family unit of three migrants near Hidalgo, Texas. The mother of the family had an allergic reaction after being stung by several bees while walking in the brush. McAllen station Emergency Medical Technicians provided medical attention including administering an EpiPen and requesting Emergency Medical Services. The mother was taken to a local hospital while the children were monitored by processing personnel. After being cleared by medical personnel, the mother and her two children were reunited.
“Our Border Patrol agents never know what they will encounter in the field. Quick thinking, fast response, and exceptional training was key in this situation and our Border Patrol Agents were up to the task, outstanding job” said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.
Governor Greg Abbott last night advocated for expanded parental rights in their child’s education at a Parent Empowerment Night held at Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen. Photo: Office of the Governor
Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott last night advocated for expanded parental rights in their child’s education at a Parent Empowerment Night held at Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen. Speaking to a packed gymnasium with over 350 parents, students, educators, and parent empowerment advocates, the Governor noted that while Texas’ per-student funding is at an all-time high, more money does not always mean better outcomes for all students.
Speaking to a packed gymnasium with over 350 parents, students, educators, and parent empowerment advocates. Photo: Office of the Governor
“Many children today are not educated like you and I were when we were kids, inspired by our country’s founding and how it stands out from the rest of the world as the beacon of freedom and opportunity,” said Governor Abbott. “We, as Texans, have an obligation to ensure we educate our children why and how the United States of America became the greatest country in the history of the world. We will not use taxpayer dollars to teach our children to hate our country. Schools should not push woke agendas, period. Schools are for education—not indoctrination. We must reform curriculum to get children back to the basics of learning, and we must empower parents.”
Governor Abbott with one of the families at the event. Photo: Office of the Governor
During his remarks, Governor Abbott highlighted legislative efforts currently under way that would provide more funding for public education and teacher pay raises, while also empowering parents to be the primary decisionmakers in their child’s education. The Governor emphasized the need to expand school choice options to all Texas students, pointing out that a majority of urban, suburban, and rural Texans support those efforts.
The Governor was joined by La Féria Independent School District School Trustee Gloria Santillan Casas, Texas Public Policy Foundation Campaign Director Mandy Drogin, Covenant Christian Academy Head of School Milton Gonzalez, Covenant Christian Academy Principal Dr. Maria Bridwell, and other parent empowerment advocates.
Students joined the Governor at the event. Photo: Office of the Governor
Hosted by the Parent Empowerment Coalition, Parent Empowerment Night brings together education leaders and stakeholders to discuss education reform and the growing need for parental empowerment in their children’s education.
The Edinburg Housing Authority (EHA) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the construction of La Posada II, 36 new public housing units in the City of Edinburg. Image courtesy of the City of Edinburg
Texas Border Business
The Edinburg Housing Authority (EHA) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the construction of La Posada II, 36 new public housing units in the City of Edinburg. It is a momentous occasion for EHA since it has been 42 years since the agency last constructed new public housing units.
Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza singing-off on the project. Image courtesy of the City of EdinburgHousing Authority reps. Image courtesy of the City of Edinburg
This will help ensure that the community will have more options when applying for housing assistance within the city. Currently, the housing authority assists 325 families under its low-rent program
