Texas Border Business
AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard continue to work together with the Trump Administration to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry.
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 531,400 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 50,900 criminal arrests, with more than 43,600 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 625 million lethal doses of fentanyl—enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States, Mexico, and Canada combined during this border mission.
Texas has decreased illegal crossings into the state by over 90% due to our historic border security mission. Fewer illegal crossings into Texas means fewer migrants to transport to sanctuary cities. Since the start of Texas’ transportation program, the state has transported:
• Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
• Over 45,900 migrants to New York City since August 2022
• Over 36,900 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
• Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
• Over 19,200 migrants to Denver since May 2023
• Over 1,500 migrants to Los Angeles since June 2023
Operation Lone Star continues working to undo the damage done by the Biden Administration. 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 open border policies.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
Governor Abbott: Texas Installs More Buoys In Rio Grande River
On Sunday, the Governor’s Office shared footage on X, formerly known as Twitter, of Texas installing more buoys in the Rio Grande River earlier this year.
As part of Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott announced the deployment of floating marine barriers designed to deter illegal crossings in hotspots along the Rio Grande River in 2023. Despite efforts by the Biden Administration to remove the barriers, Texas kept them in the water.
Governor Abbott: Border Security Works, Results Speak For Themselves
On Monday, Governor Abbott highlighted on X the results of the Trump Administration’s enforcement of immigration laws.
Texas’ historic border security mission serves as the blueprint for the Trump Administration’s successful border actions. Texas will keep working with President Donald Trump and Border Czar Homan to secure the border.
WATCH: DPS Arrests Human Smuggler Wanted For Sexual Assault, Illegal Immigrants In Webb County
Last week, a DPS trooper working Operation Lone Star stopped a 2011 International truck tractor for a traffic violation in Laredo.
Once the vehicle came to a stop, the driver and several illegal immigrants inside the truck tractor fled toward the brush. After a multi-agency search, a total of seven illegal immigrants and the driver were found.
The driver of the truck tractor, Junior Adalid Montoya-Alvarez, 49, a Honduran national with lawful permanent status, was arrested for smuggling of persons. It was also discovered that Montoya-Alvarez was wanted out of Harris County for sexual assault.
All seven illegal immigrants, from Guatemala and Mexico, were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS Arrests Criminal Illegal Immigrant Fugitives In Hidalgo, El Paso Counties
Earlier this month, DPS arrested two criminal illegal immigrant fugitives in Hidalgo and El Paso counties.
Armando Alonso-Cortez, 40, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was wanted by the Alton Police Department for sexual assault of a child and considered a flight risk.
Carlos Daniel Espinoza-Arguello, 26, a criminal illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was found to have a removal order from U.S. Enforcement and Removal Operations and was a subject of interest in a DPS Criminal Investigations Division case for sexual assault of a child.
Read the full press release here.
DPS Arrests Illegal Immigrants, Seizes 187 Pounds Of Narcotics
This week, DPS Brush Team and Border Patrol arrested three illegal immigrants from Mexico after they smuggled 187 pounds of narcotics across the Rio Grande River in Cameron County.
The three smugglers were turned over to federal authorities for prosecution.
WATCH: U.S. Border Patrol Chief Deputizes Over 300 Texas National Guard Soldiers
Last Friday, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks deputized over 300 Texas National Guard soldiers to assist Border Patrol to secure the southern border.
The deployment of deputized Texas National Guard soldiers comes as part of a broader effort to enforce federal immigration laws, particularly in high traffic areas. Working alongside Border Patrols agents, these soldiers have been granted limited law enforcement authority to make immigration arrests.
More Texas National Guard soldiers will be deputized in Eagle Pass and Laredo in the coming weeks.
Texas National Guard Uses Advanced Technology To Secure Border
This week, Texas National Guard drone and advanced camera systems teams assisted in the apprehension of three illegal immigrants and 10 turn backs along the Rio Grande River.
In El Paso, a Modular Mobile Surveillance System identified three illegal immigrants crossing the Texas– Mexico border near Mount Christo Rey. The operators alerted Texas National Guard brush teams to respond to the area. The three illegal immigrants were apprehended and referred to U.S. Border Patrol.
Near Roma, a Small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) team detected 10 illegal border crossers utilizing a raft to cross the river into Texas on Fronton Island. After making it to the island, the group of illegal immigrants observed the sUAS and turned back across the river into Mexico.
