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 518,900 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 46,300 criminal arrests, with more than 40,200 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 521 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 decreased illegal crossings into the state by 87% due to our historic border security mission. Fewer illegal crossings into Texas means fewer migrants to transport to sanctuary cities. Since the start of Texas’ transportation program, the state has transported:
Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
Over 45,900 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-Harris 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 and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies.
Governor Abbott on Mondaysent a letterto President Biden and Vice President Harris calling out their continued attempts to undercut Texas’ efforts to secure the Texas-Mexico border.
“For years, the cartels were ‘running rampant’ in Fronton Island’s ‘thick vegetation’ and ‘bullet-pocked structures’ along the river to stage illegal entries, surveil state and federal law enforcement, stash weapons, plant explosives, evade apprehension, and engage in open warfare against rival cartels and against state and federal officers,” reads the letter. “I will not cede state land to transnational criminal cartels smuggling people, weapons, and drugs. Nor will I sit idly by as these threats endanger Texas law enforcement and Texas communities.”
Yesterday, Governor Abbott shared photos on X, formerly known as Twitter, of Texas National Guard soldiers deploying an all-terrain truck surveillance system to help secure the border.
Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state—and our nation—from the Biden-Harris Administration’s border crisis.
A DPS trooper stopped a Mercury passenger car in Starr County this week. After driving to the rear of a residence, the driver and multiple occupants bailed out of the vehicle and ran in different directions.
DPS troopers located the driver, Armando De La Cruz of Starr County, and arrested him for evading arrest and smuggling of persons. Four illegal immigrants were also apprehended and referred to Border Patrol.
During a traffic stop on US-277 in Val Verde County, a DPS trooper discovered three illegal immigrants from Mexico attempting to conceal themselves in the rear seat of a Toyota Corolla. Two of the three illegal immigrants attempted to evade and bail toward the brush but were apprehended.
DPS troopers arrested the driver and passenger, Callie Chreene and Mikayla Bogany from Shepherd, Texas, for three counts of smuggling of persons. All three illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
Texas NationalGuard Soldiers Use Drones To Track, Apprehend Illegal Immigrants
Texas National Guard soldiers working on Operation Lone Star assisted state and local law enforcement partners to apprehend a group of illegal immigrants near SH-90 this week.
Soldiers used drone technology to identify, track, and alert law enforcement officers to the group of illegal border crossers. State and local law enforcement later detained 10 illegal immigrants.
Texas National Guard Engineers Continue To Secure Fronton Island
Texas National Guard engineers continue to clear and reinforce Fronton Island to allow law enforcement and ground units to combat transnational criminal activity. Engineers work around-the-clock to repair damaged roads for law enforcement partners and reinforce razor wire to deter and repel illegal crossings into the state.
