EAGLE PASS, TX — The State of Texas has strengthened its border security operations by establishing a new tactical command post in Shelby Park, aimed at enhancing the multi-agency effort under Operation Lone Star.
The initiative, led by Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard, continues to combat the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas, while also addressing transnational criminal activities between ports of entry.
Since the inception of Operation Lone Star, more than 518,300 illegal immigrant apprehensions have been recorded, alongside over 46,000 criminal arrests, including more than 40,000 felony charges. Texas law enforcement has seized over 521 million lethal doses of fentanyl, which officials claim is enough to kill every person in the United States and Mexico combined.
To date, Texas has transported over 125,000 migrants to various cities across the United States, including Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, and Los Angeles, in an ongoing effort to address what state officials describe as a border crisis.
“Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden-Harris Administration’s refusal to secure the border,” information from Abbott’s office states. “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 and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies.”
The newly established command post in Shelby Park features eight interconnected tents equipped with generators, hard floors, and air conditioning. The facility is expected to enhance communication among Operation Lone Star personnel, ensuring the rapid and efficient delivery of supplies and support, particularly during mass migration events, according to information from Abbott’s office.
Under Operation Lone Star, Texas National Guard soldiers continue to “bolster border security efforts in Eagle Pass.” Sergeant Angel Alcala with Task Force Eagle in Maverick County outlined the crucial work of patrolling the river day and night to deter and repel illegal crossings into the state. “Once they see us operating our boats, a lot of activity tends to mitigate,” Sgt. Alcala stated. “In extreme cases, you do have those desperate individuals that continue to try to cross, but once they see us heading towards the direction in our boats, they quickly begin moving back to the Mexican side.”