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 387,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 30,400 criminal arrests, with more than 28,500 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, Texas law enforcement has seized over 421 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.
Texas has also bused:
Over 10,300 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
Over 9,300 migrants to New York City since August 5
Over 3,400 migrants to Chicago since August 31
Over 1,800 migrants to Philadelphia since November 15
Over 200 migrants to Denver since May 18
Over 80 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: Biden’s Open Border Policies Threaten U.S. National Security
Yesterday, Governor Abbott slammed President Biden’s open border policies, calling the President’s refusal to secure the border a threat to national security. In a tweet, the Governor pointed to a story by Fox News about the release of a migrant from federal custody whose identity appeared on the FBI’s terror watch list.
“Biden’s reckless open border policies led to the release of a TERRORIST on the watch list,” said Governor Abbott. “Biden is putting U.S. national security at risk.”
WATCH: DPS Tactical Marine Unit Arrests Human Smuggler In Rio Grande
DPS drone operators located a human smuggler who was guiding illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande River into Eagle Pass. The DPS Tactical Marine Unit arrested the smuggler in the river. Jose Delgado-Zuniga, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, now faces state criminal charges for smuggling of persons.
DPS Troopers Rescue Abandoned Children Along River In Eagle Pass
DPS troopers rescued two children from Guatemala, ages 8 and 11, who were left abandoned at the edge of the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass. The children told troopers a woman left them at the edge of the river in Mexico and directed them to cross the water.
WATCH: DPS Stops Two Vehicles In Maverick County Human Smuggling Attempt
Earlier this week, DPS troopers in Maverick County stopped two vehicles traveling in tandem, and several illegal immigrants bailed out and ran toward the brush. Both drivers, from Houston, were arrested and three illegal immigrants from Guatemala were apprehended and referred to Border Patrol. The drivers are charged with smuggling of persons.
WATCH: DPS Finds Teenagers From Mexico Being Smuggled In Car Trunk
During a traffic stop in Kinney County, a DPS trooper found three illegal immigrants being smuggled in a vehicle, including a 14-year-old and 16-year-old in the trunk. The trooper also discovered the driver was an illegal immigrant from Mexico. Three illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol. The driver was arrested and charged with smuggling of persons.
Texas National Guard Clears Dense Brush To Improve Border Security Operations
Texas National Guard engineers from Special Reaction Teams 2 and 3 completed Operation Alcatraz, a project to secure a section of the border along the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass. The engineers cleared dense brush from the edge of the river where migrants use bamboo and brambles to evade capture. Operation Alcatraz also included the addition of more than eight miles of concertina wire barrier along the entire length of the cleared area.
WATCH: Spc. Kyle Reimer Describes Dangers Of Human Smugglers On Roadways
Texas National Guard Specialist Kyle Reimer, a team leader for Task Force Center Alpha Company in Laredo, describes the dangers of human smugglers on roadways as they attempt to transport illegal immigrants from Mexico into Texas.
“With Title 42 being up, they’re more prone to break the laws of the road,” said Spc. Reimer. “They’ll run red lights, they’ll swerve around people, they’ll hit people if they need to get out of the way in order to get these migrants that they pick up across. Getting them off the street is probably the best feeling. Them driving recklessly puts a lot of people at risk. A lot of my guys have almost gotten hit and that’s an issue, so having them off the road helps us feel safer, and it helps the town feel safer.”