Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard continue to work together 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 510,600 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 42,500 criminal arrests, with more than 37,700 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized enough lethal doses of fentanyl to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico combined during this border mission.
Texas has also transported:
- Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
- Over 44,100 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 35,800 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 18,700 migrants to Denver since May 18
- Over 1,500 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14
Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created 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.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
Governor Abbott Condemns President Biden’s Feckless Border Proposals
Yesterday, Governor Abbott issued a statement in response to President Biden’s new border proposals to address the historic levels of illegal immigrants entering our country at the southern border.
“President Biden inherited the most secure border with the lowest illegal immigration since last century. Now, desperately grasping to salvage his failed presidency, President Biden attempts the most minimal action possible, hoping to mask the crisis he created. To be clear, President Biden’s feckless proposals, which he could have done years ago, do nothing to slow the record-breaking illegal immigration.
Our efforts have led to a substantial decline in illegal immigration into Texas while it remains on the rise in other border states. Operation Lone Star is working, and President Biden would do well to follow our lead, or get out of the way.”
Read the Governor’s full statement here.
Governor Abbott: DPS Arrests Terrorist Crossing Border Illegally
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abbott championed the work DPS troopers continue to do at the Texas-Mexico border to arrest and jail dangerous criminals who attempt to enter the country illegally.
Under President Biden’s watch, a record number of known terrorists on the terrorist watch list have been apprehended trying to illegally cross the border.
Governor Abbott: Construction Continues At Texas National Guard Base Camp
Yesterday, Governor Abbott shared aerial footage of ongoing construction of Texas’ Forward Operating Base in Eagle Pass. This state-of-the-art base camp will provide thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers with additional resources and support, including housing, on-site medical services, and other facilities to ensure military personnel in Eagle Pass can operate more effectively to secure the southern border.
Governor Abbott: DPS Stops Human Smuggling Attempt Near Rio Grande River
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott highlighted an article on X in which DPS troopers stopped a human smuggling attempt near the Rio Grande River. The Governor noted a law he signed last year that created a 10-year minimum prison sentence for human smuggling in Texas as the state fights to keep human smugglers off the streets.
Human Smuggler Leads DPS Troopers On High-Speed Pursuit In Webb County
DPS troopers were led on a high-speed pursuit by a human smuggler on US-35 in Webb County this week. The driver, Sebastian Hernandez, drove recklessly against traffic attempting to evade troopers. Hernandez and multiple illegal immigrants bailed out in different directions toward a neighborhood.
Hernandez was arrested and charged with smuggling of persons and evading arrest. All seven illegal immigrants, from Mexico, were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS Arrests 12 Illegal Immigrants In Maverick County
DPS arrested 12 illegal immigrants for criminal trespass in Maverick County. The group included individuals from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Peru. One individual, a male from Lebanon, had an active national security threat risk alert. All were transported to the Val Verde Temporary Processing Center.
DPS Arrests Dangerous Criminal Attempting To Illegally Enter Texas
DPS troopers were led on a high-speed pursuit in Maverick County after the driver of a GMC Sierra failed to stop for a traffic violation on US-277. After driving into a ranch fence, the driver, passenger, and three illegal immigrants bailed out of the vehicle.
With assistance from DPS’ Aircraft Operations Division, troopers located all five individuals. Additionally, troopers located a handgun inside the vehicle and learned that the vehicle was reported stolen out of Austin.
The driver and passenger, both 19 of Austin and Del Valle, respectively, were arrested and charged with evading arrest, smuggling of persons, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and unlawful carry of a weapon. Both were transported to the Val Verde Temporary Processing Center.
All three illegal immigrants, including one wanted for murder out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, were referred to Border Patrol.
Over 190 Illegal Immigrants Arrested By DPS For Criminal Trespass
This week, DPS troopers working on Operation Lone Star arrested 197 illegal immigrants for criminal trespass in Maverick County. These arrests stem from an increase in attempted unlawful border crossings between the ports of entry in the Normandy area.
The group of illegal immigrants included foreign nationals from Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. All 197 individuals were arrested and transported to the Val Verde Temporary Processing Center.
Texas National Guard Thwart Human Smuggling Operation
Texas National Guard soldiers and local law enforcement worked to thwart a large-scale human smuggling operation along the Texas-Mexico border this week.
More than 200 people gathered on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande River were waiting for human smugglers to illegally ferry them across the border. Texas National Guard soldiers and law enforcement seized the smugglers’ boat and deterred and repelled the illegal crossings.
WATCH: Texas National Guard Assist In Seizure Of 75 Lbs Of Narcotics
This week, an elite team of Air National Guardsmen assisted local law enforcement in arresting two drug smugglers with 75 pounds of narcotics in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Texas National Guard continues to work around-the-clock to interdict drug smugglers and deter illegal entry into the state.
