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 513,100 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 43,700 criminal arrests, with more than 38,400 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 488 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 45,500 migrants to New York City since August 2022
Over 36,800 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
Over 19,100 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.
This week, Governor Abbott issued a statement in response to President Biden’s new executive order that essentially legalizes the millions of illegal immigrants already in our country and allows thousands more to illegally cross our southern border daily.
“Today’s announcement is nothing but a smokescreen for President Biden’s failed open border policies,” said Governor Abbott. “This executive order will do nothing but further an invasion into our country, inviting thousands of unvetted illegal immigrants to cross the border every single day—the exact opposite of shutting down the border. Since his first day in office, President Biden dismantled all of his predecessor’s successful border policies, encouraging millions of illegal immigrants—including dangerous criminals and terrorists—into our country. For three years, the President has lied about the existence of the border crisis, deflected blame to Congress, and now contradicts himself by issuing a feckless executive order months before Election Day.”
On Wednesday, Governor Abbott launchedTexas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List.Created in partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), this list is a new initiative to locate and arrest repeat offenders who have entered the country illegally and are wanted for dangerous crimes committed in Texas.
“When President Joe Biden took office, he dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place,” said Governor Abbott. “As a result, we have seen record high levels of illegal immigration, including dangerous criminals and terrorists who are a threat to the public safety of our state and our nation. These illegal immigrants will now be spotlighted on our 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List. Texas is a law-and-order state, and with the help of our fellow Texans, we will ensure that the illegal immigrants on this list are taken off our streets and put behind bars to keep our communities safe. Texas will continue to take unprecedented action to protect Texans and our state from President Biden’s border crisis.”
This week, Governor Abbott joined Sean Hannity on Fox News to discuss President Biden’s new executive order. During the interview, the Governor slammed President Biden’s weak border policies, pointing out that they will do nothing to deter illegal immigration, but instead entice even more people to cross the border illegally. In contrast, Texas has taken historic action since launching Operation Lone Star in 2021 to secure the border.
“What Biden announced today is nothing more than gaslighting his fellow Americans, because there is nothing in the announcement today that actually shows any enforcement of any immigration law that denies illegal entry into the country,” said Governor Abbott. “What Biden did today was actually entice more people to come to our border, to increase illegal immigration, not to stop it. He’s not using any tool or strategy to deny illegal immigration. Sean, importantly, there are three laws that exist that Biden is not enforcing. One is to deny illegal entry. The other is to detain illegal immigrants who do make it here. The third is to build border barriers. He’s choosing not to do any of that. Instead, he’s had open border policies that have led to more than 10 million illegal immigrants into our country.”
This week on America Reports on Fox News, Governor Abbott highlighted the state’s ongoing response to President Biden’s dangerous open border policies and touted the launch of Texas’10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List. Texas continues to step up and utilize every tool and strategy to combat President Biden’s border crisis, which has invited a record high level of illegal immigrants, criminals, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to enter our country.
“[President Biden] is letting in known criminals or people who cross the border and commit crimes in the United States of America,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas is the first state to have a statewide crackdown on these criminals with a most wanted list to try to locate them, identify them, and arrest them. This is the latest thing that Texas has done. Texas has built our own border wall, we have laid down hundreds of miles of razor wire border barriers, we have thousands of National Guard on the border behind the razor wire. In Texas, we have [seen] a decline of more than 74% in illegal immigration, while at the very same time, it’s going up in California and Arizona and New Mexico. It shows that enforcement works. Open border policies like Joe Biden has done do not work.”
This morning, Lt. Chris Olivarez joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business to discuss Texas’ new10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List.During the interview, Lt. Olivarez urged Texans to provide any information they have on wanted individuals by visiting DPS’ website or calling the tips hotline.
“This [list] is another example of Texas actually taking decisive action, especially from our leadership from Governor Abbott, [the Texas] Legislature, and leadership within the agency,” said Lt. Olivarez. “Some of [these individuals on the list] have been deported and they have re-entered the country. These are dangerous criminals [who have committed] crimes ranging from burglary, assault, sex crimes with children, and homicide. An individual that we arrested yesterday was wanted for homicide, so these are dangerous individuals.”
During a joint anti-smuggling operation in La Joya this week, a DPS brush team and border patrol agents located five illegal immigrants who had broken into a house and were hiding in the bathroom.
The group, from Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua, included two teenagers. A 17-year-old smuggling guide, from Mexico, was arrested for human smuggling.
This week, DPS troopers and special agents stopped a Peterbilt truck and Dodge Ram pickup on IH-35 in Webb County. The driver of the Peterbilt, from Tomball, Texas, consented to a search of the truck. 19 illegal immigrants from Mexico were discovered concealed inside the cab area, including one suffering from heat exhaustion.
The driver of the Dodge Ram, of Jarrell, Texas, had been escorting the Peterbilt. Both drivers were arrested and charged with smuggling of persons. All 19 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
DPS and Florida highway patrol troopers working on Operation Lone Star discovered four illegal immigrants crammed in the rear seat of a GMC Sierra during a traffic stop in Kinney County.
The driver, Karina Isamar Martinez from Houston, Texas, confessed to having more illegal immigrants in the bed of the truck. Martinez and a passenger, Azucena Raquel Roman from Hockley, Texas, were arrested for smuggling of persons. Seven illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
Texas Rangers Arrest Gang Member For Human Smuggling, Evading Arrest
Texas Rangers arrested Tango Blast gang member Juan Miguel Regalado, 27, this week for human smuggling and evading arrest.
Texas National Guard Gains Control Of Dangerous “Cartel Island”
Texas National Guard soldiers assigned to Operation Lone Star this week successfully completed a large-scale mission to clean up “Cartel Island,” one of the most dangerous areas along the Texas-Mexico border.
Guardsmen assigned to the mission—called “Operation Flat Top”—worked in tandem with law enforcement to help defend the border and protect communities near Fronton Island, an area that until recently was controlled by criminal organizations and drug cartels dealing in arms, narcotics, and human trafficking. “Cartel Island” is situated between Laredo and McAllen and minutes away from Star County communities.
To regain control of the area, Texas National Guard soldiers first cleared the 170-acre island, then installed over a mile of concertina wire. The four-platoon team completed the project’s initial phase in 28 days, significantly ahead of the projected 45-day timeline. Clearing Fronton Island was a significant win for South Texas communities. Once a hot-spot for illegal activities, the island now provides greater visibility and control for DPS and other law enforcement partners.
