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 513,700 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 44,000 criminal arrests, with more than 38,600 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 489 million lethal doses of fentanyl, enough 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 45,700 migrants to New York City since August 2022
Over 36,900 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
Over 19,200 migrants to Denver since May 2023
Over 1,500 migrants to Los Angeles since June 2023
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 joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox News earlier this week to discuss President Biden’s new border executive order that will do little to stem the flow of illegal immigration into the country. The Governor criticized the new policy that invites more migrants to illegally enter rather than secure the border.
“The people need to understand that what Biden has done is not do anything to actually secure the border,” said Governor Abbott. “In fact, it’s the opposite because [President Biden] is actually authorizing more people to cross the border illegally. As long as the Biden Administration refuses to provide any type of enforcement, any type of blockage, of people crossing illegally, all that this new Biden policy is going to do is to actually attract and invite even more people to cross the border illegally. Ever since the Biden order went into place, there’s no slowing down of people crossing the border. In fact, it’s just accelerating.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abbott shared an article on Tuesday reporting that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency arrested eight individuals who crossed the border illegally with ties to the terrorist organization ISIS.
The Governor noted that President Biden’s reckless open border policies are endangering American lives by allowing dangerous criminals and terrorists into our country.
Governor Abbott on Thursday highlighted Texas National Guard Boat Response Teams in Eagle Pass stopping a group of individuals attempting to cross illegally into Texas.
The Governor reaffirmed Texas’ ongoing mission to deter and repel illegal immigration into the state.
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott spotlighted an article reporting illegal border crossings in Texas have significantly deceased since the launch of Operation Lone Star in 2021.
Texas has seen a 74% decrease in illegal crossings due to the state’s unprecedented border security efforts.
Earlier this week, a DPS trooper stopped a Dodge Challenger on FM-755 in Brooks County. During the traffic stop, DPS troopers observed three individuals unrestrained in the back seat and determined that the driver and passenger, both from Rio Grande City, were involved in human smuggling. Additionally, DPS troopers discovered three more illegal immigrants in the trunk of the vehicle who were showing signs of dehydration.
The driver and passenger were both charged with six counts of smuggling of persons. Six illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS troopers requested assistance from a Border Patrol K9 during a traffic stop on IH-35 in Webb County. The K9 alerted to the rear part of the vehicle, where DPS troopers discovered three illegal immigrants.
The driver, 17-year-old Jose Luis Garcia, from Laredo, was charged with smuggling of persons. All three illegal immigrants, from Guatemala, were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS Arrests Jordanian National For Criminal Trespass In Maverick County
A 22-year-old Jordanian national, Mohammad Saher Mohammad Nofal, was among a group of 131 illegal immigrants arrested by DPS troopers in Maverick County for criminal trespass this week. In addition to Nofal, the group included 83 other males and 47 females from Columbia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
All 131 illegal immigrants were transported to the Val Verde Processing Center.
Texas National Guard soldiers continue to utilize every available tool and strategy to deter and repel illegal border crossings. In El Paso, First Lieutenant Ronan Kelley with Task Force West highlighted a new, innovative “cheval de frise” style border barrier soldiers are utilizing along the border. The barriers are being placed in drainage areas by Texas National Guard soldiers to impede illegal access into Texas.
“CDF stands for ‘cheval de frise,’” said First Lieutenant Kelley. “We picked [CDF] because it’s a large barrier. This will prevent the [concertina] wire from getting washed in the [Rio Grande River] while still providing an obstacle to slow down [illegal immigrants] from entering the United States.”
