AUSTIN – 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 506,500
illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 41,200 criminal arrests, with more than 36,700 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 471 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.
Texas has also transported:
Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
Over 41,000 migrants to New York City since August 2022
Over 33,700 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
Over 17,500 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.
Governor Abbott yesterday joined Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer on America’s Newsroom to discuss the Biden Administration’s continued attacks on Texas’ ongoing border security operations. During the interview, the Governor praised the Texas National Guard for installing more than 100 miles of wire along the Texas-Mexico border to deter and repel illegal entry into the nation.
“I have to applaud our National Guard for stepping up and laying down that more than 100 miles of razor wire,” said Governor Abbott. “It is an effective barrier that denies illegal entry. But look, as you all know, the number one issue in the United States and in the presidential race is illegal immigration, and you know that Texas is the only one stepping up doing anything about it.”
Last night, Governor Abbott joined Sean Hannity to discuss the ways that Texas continues to enforce border security laws and defend the southern border in President Biden’s absence, including denying entry to illegal immigrants and detaining those who illegally cross the Texas-Mexico border.
“Congress had already passed three laws on the books before Joe Biden took office,” said Governor Abbott. “One that requires the President to deny illegal entry, another to detain anybody who does enter illegally, and three is to build a border barrier. Because President Biden is doing none of those, that’s why all of these people are coming in including terrorists, both known and unknown. It’s frustrating and astonishing that what Texas is trying to do is enforce those three laws passed by Congress, and because of this, Joe Biden is trying to sue us.”
Governor Abbott joined Maria Bartiromo this morning on Fox Business and addressed comments made by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The Governor called out Mayor Adams for his empty gimmicks instead of focusing on addressing the safety issues people in New York City are facing, including increased attacks on law enforcement officers.
“Anytime the Mayor opens his mouth, he needs to be talking about ways he can make his communities safer for his fellow New Yorkers, as opposed to these other gimmicks,” said Governor Abbott.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abbott shared a video of Texas Border Czar Mike Banks outlining the success of Texas’ historic and unprecedented border mission during his first year of service.
Border Czar Banks highlighted Texas’ efforts to install anti-climb barriers, razor wire, and marine buoy barriers along the border and pledged to continue to build the necessary infrastructure to stop illegal entry into the country to protect Texas and Americans.
Governor Abbott shared footage of ongoing border wall construction in Maverick County on X. Texas continues to utilize every tool and strategy to respond to President Biden’s border crisis.
On Tuesday, DPS troopers were led on a high-speed pursuit by a human smuggler in Hidalgo County. The driver, a 15-year-old girl from Edinburg, Texas, lost control and crashed into a ditch. The teenage driver and four passengers bailed out towards the brush. The smuggler, her 14-year-old brother, and three illegal immigrants from Mexico were apprehended.
The teenage smuggler is charged with evading arrest and smuggling of persons. Troopers referred three illegal immigrants to Border Patrol.
A smuggler led DPS troopers on a high-speed pursuit on US-277 in Val Verde County earlier this week. The smuggler, from Houston, eventually stopped and was arrested without incident. Troopers discovered the driver was smuggling five illegal immigrants, from Mexico, including two 16-year-olds.
The driver was charged with smuggling of persons, smuggling of persons under 18 years of age, and evading arrest. All five illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
Earlier this week, Fox News Channel shared footage of the Texas National Guard installing additional razor wire along the border in El Paso following the recent surge of illegal immigrants in the area.
Texas National Guard Deploys Air Boats To Rio Grande River
The Texas National Guard this week added air boats to the existing fleet of watercraft being used to deter and repel illegal border crossings and criminal activity in the Rio Grande River.
In Shelby Park, the air boats have begun patrolling the river and responding to groups of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country illegally from Mexico. A key feature of the new boat platform is its ability speed during daytime operational hours.
