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 509,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 42,300 criminal arrests, with more than 37,500 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 43,800 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 35,600 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 18,600 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: San Diego Is The “Epicenter Of Illegal Immigration” Under Biden
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abbott touted Texas’ historic border security measures leading to the significant shift in illegal border crossings from the Texas-Mexico border to other border states like California.
According to an analysis of federal data by the Washington Examiner, “just 1-in-3 illegal immigrants arrested across the southern border takes place in Texas.”
Governor Abbott: Strategic Positioning Of Texas National Guard Base At Border
On Monday, Governor Abbott highlighted Texas’ ongoing construction of the Forward Operating Base in Eagle Pass, which will house more than two thousand Texas National Guard soldiers. He also pointed to the base camp’s strategic position to allow soldiers to swiftly respond to illegal crossings.
Governor Abbott: Texas National Guard Repairs Breach In Razor Wire Barrier
On X earlier this week, Governor Abbott showcased photos of Texas National Guard soldiers repairing a breach in the razor wire barriers in El Paso. Operation Lone Star personnel continue to reinforce border barriers to secure the border in President Biden’s absence.
WATCH: DPS Troopers Arrest Gang Member In Webb County
Earlier this week, DPS troopers followed a human smuggler in a Chevy Silverado on a high-speed pursuit in Webb County. The smuggler, Arturo Yepez, a Pistolero gang member from Laredo, then drove recklessly on the shoulder of a highway several times, eventually losing control on a turn and crashed into a truck tractor.
Yepez bailed out and attempted to evade on foot. Yepez was arrested and charged with evading arrest and two counts of smuggling of persons with the likelihood of serious bodily injury or death. DPS troopers referred two illegal immigrants found inside the bed of the truck to Border Patrol.
WATCH: Human Smuggler Leads DPS Troopers On High-Speed Pursuit In Hidalgo County
DPS troopers followed a human smuggler in a Ford F-150 on a high-speed pursuit in Hidalgo County earlier this week. The driver, Julio Ivan Jimenez Vargas, an illegal immigrant from Mexico and a Paisa gang member, evaded troopers traveling 100 mph, forcing oncoming traffic off the road. Vargas eventually stopped and bailed out toward the brush. DPS’ Aircraft Division provided air support to troopers on the ground by directing them to where Vargas was hiding.
Vargas was apprehended and charged with continuous smuggling of persons with likelihood of serious bodily injury or death, evading arrest with a vehicle, and evading arrest with a previous conviction. Seven illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS Brush Team Arrests Seven Smuggling Guides
DPS’ Brush Team arrested seven brush smuggling guides from Mexico as part of a three-day anti-smuggling operation in Hidalgo County. All seven guides face felony human smuggling charges.
Texas National Guard Seize Narcotics In Brownsville
The Airmen coordinated with law enforcement as well as other Guard personnel to track the men in Cameron County, where they were arrested with three bundles of narcotics.
This week, four Texas National Guard Airmen detected and tracked drug smugglers who were crossing into the Rio Grande Valley from Mexico.
