Texas Border Businesses
AUSTIN, Texas – 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 disrupt international criminal activity between ports of entry.
Since the start of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has resulted in the arrest of more than 518,300 illegal immigrants, more than 46,000 criminal arrests, and more than 40,000 felony charges. In combating the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement agencies have seized more than 521 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border operation – enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico.
In Texas, we also transport:
More than 12,500 immigrants will move to Washington, DC since April 2022. More than 45,900 immigrants will move to New York City since August 2022. More than 36,900 immigrants will move to Chicago since August 2022. More than 3,400 immigrants will move to Philadelphia since November 2022. More than 19,200 immigrants will move to Denver since May 2023. More than 1,500 immigrants will move to Los Angeles since June 2023.
Operation Lone Star continues to fill a dangerous gap created by the Biden-Harris Administration’s refusal to secure the border. Every individual arrested or detained and every drug seized under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies would have flowed into communities in Texas and across the country.
Recent highlights from Operation Lone Star:
WATCH: Governor Abbott: Every State Will Be a Border State Under a Biden-Harris Administration
Yesterday, Governor Abbott joined Fox News’ John Roberts to discuss how the Biden-Harris Administration’s dangerous open border policies have turned every state into a border state. The Governor blasted Vice President Kamala Harris for allowing over 11 million illegal immigrants into the U.S., including dangerous criminals.
“As governors, residents and citizens across America have seen, every state is now a border state,” said Governor Abbott. “This isn’t just happening in Texas and Arizona. It’s also happening in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, with people losing their lives to the importation of fentanyl and the criminals and rapists that Kamala Harris has allowed into the country. Americans are more threatened than ever before because of the reckless open border policy that Kamala Harris has allowed.”
Governor Abbott: Texas State Police Add New Dangerous Fugitive to Texas’ Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals and Illegal Immigrants List
Governor Abbott announced on Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Texas State Police have added a new fugitive to their list of Texas’ 10 most wanted criminal illegal immigrants.
Texas continues to step up efforts to ensure dangerous criminals who are in the state illegally stay behind bars.
Governor Abbott: Texas to use UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for border patrol
Governor Abbott shared photos on Twitter yesterday of members of the Texas National Guard using UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and interdict illegal crossings.
Texas will continue to use all available tools and strategies to respond to the border crisis created by the Biden-Harris Administration.
Governor Abbott: Panel installation continues on Texas border wall in Starr County
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott showed a video on X showing panels being installed on the Texas border wall in Starr County.
Texas will not back down from the fight to build more miles of border wall and secure our border until President Biden and Vice President Harris secure our border.
Video: DPS officers arrest illegal immigrant smuggler in Val Verde County
During a traffic stop on State Route 79 in Val Verde County, a DPS officer requested consent from the driver to a vehicle search. The driver, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, consented to the search. DPS officers then discovered two illegal immigrants from Mexico hiding under clothing and miscellaneous items in the trunk of the vehicle.
The driver was arrested and charged with human smuggling, and the two illegal immigrants were turned over to the Border Patrol.
DPS Officers Arrest Four Human Traffickers in Rio Grande Valley
As part of an anti-smuggling operation, DPS Brush Teams in the Rio Grande Valley arrested four smuggling guides from Mexico who helped guide illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande River. All four have been charged with felony human smuggling.
Video: DPS finds three illegal immigrants hidden in trunk
DPS officers and Florida Highway Patrol officers stopped a Cadillac in Maverick County. During the stop, DPS officers asked for permission to search the vehicle. The driver, Damion Lewis of Tyler, admitted to hiding a person in the trunk.
Officers then found three Mexican immigrants hiding in the trunk. Lewis was arrested and charged with human smuggling, and the three were handed over to the Border Patrol.
Video: DPS K-9 tracks illegal immigrant for more than two miles in Kinney County
After Border Patrol agents spent several hours throughout the night attempting to locate the illegal immigrants in Kinney County, DPS K-9 Arya and her handler were deployed to assist with the pursuit. K-9 Arya tracked the illegal immigrants for over two hours and 2.5 miles, relying on human scent from fresh footprints.
K-9 Arya notified her owner that an illegal immigrant from Honduras had been found under a tree, and the illegal immigrant was reported to the Border Patrol.
Texas National Guard builds new tactical command post in Shelby Park
Earlier this week, members of the Texas National Guard serving with Operation Lone Star built a new tactical command post in Shelby Park. The new command post features eight interconnected tents equipped with generators, hard flooring and air conditioning.
The establishment of the command post will improve communication between Operation Lone Star members and allow soldiers to deliver supplies and support quickly and efficiently in the event of a mass migration.
Video: Texas National Guard patrols Rio Grande River to stop trespassers
Under Operation Lone Star, the Texas National Guard continues to strengthen border security efforts at Eagle Pass. Sergeant Angel Alcala of Maverick County’s Task Force Eagle explained their critical mission of patrolling the river day and night to disrupt and repel illegal crossings into the state.
“When they see us steering the boats, a lot of the activity tends to die down,” Alcala said. “In extreme cases, you have people who are desperate and keep trying to cross, but when they see us heading toward the Mexican side, they head back over to the Mexican side.”
