Texas Surges Soldiers, Resources To Boost Border Security In El Paso
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 40,600 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 33,300 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 17,300 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.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
Governor Abbott Discusses Border Security With Speaker Johnson
Governor Abbott yesterday met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin to urge him to pass border security legislation that will help stop illegal crossings between ports of entry along the southern border. The Governor and Speaker also discussed the need to hold President Biden accountable for his disastrous policies.
Governor Abbott: Texas Tactical Border Forces Arrives In El Paso
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abbott announced that nearly 200 soldiers from the Texas Tactical Border Force arrived in El Paso to bolster Texas’ border security efforts.
Governor Abbott: Touts Operation Lone Star Border Security Efforts
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott touted Operation Lone Star’s border security efforts that have decreased illegal crossings in Texas. The Governor pointed to Texas’ comprehensive border security tools and strategies as the primary reasons that illegal crossings are going down in Texas, while other border states like New Mexico and California are experiencing increases in illegal immigration.
WATCH: DPS Lt. Olivarez Defends Texas’ Right To Secure The Border
DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez joined Fox News Live this week to defend Texas’ right to secure the Texas-Mexico border after the Biden Administration blamed Governor Abbott for the migrant surge in El Paso.
“The last three years we continue to see this gaslighting from the federal government to the American people where they continue to deflect and blame Texas and Governor Abbott, like what happened in El Paso,” said Lt. Olivarez. “The fact of the matter is, we have been addressing this for the last three years with Operation Lone Star, which shows in the number of arrests that our troopers have made, over 41,000 criminal arrests, the amount of drugs [Texas] has seized from criminals, arresting human smugglers, and rescuing children.”
DPS Troopers Arrest Six Illegal Immigrants For Criminal Trespass At Shelby Park
DPS troopers swiftly responded to a group of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Honduras attempting to breach the barrier along the Rio Grande River at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. All six illegal immigrants were arrested for criminal trespass.
WATCH: DPS Arrest Two Illegal Immigrants After High-Speed Pursuit Ends When Vehicle Catches Fire
A human smuggler in a Toyota Camry led DPS troopers on a high-speed pursuit in Kinney County, reaching speeds of 100 mph, until the vehicle caught on fire. Two illegal immigrants bailed out and ran toward the brush. The driver and passenger, both illegal immigrants from Venezuela, were arrested and charged with evading arrest and smuggling of persons.
WATCH: DPS trooper Stops Human Smuggling Attempt In Kinney County
A DPS trooper stopped a Chevy Malibu in Kinney County and discovered a mother and her two-year-old child were being smuggled inside. The driver, from Florence, Texas, and the passenger, from Tyler, Texas, were both arrested and charged with smuggling of persons and smuggling of persons under the age of 18.
The mother and child, from Mexico, were referred to Border Patrol.
WATCH: Texas National Guard Surges Air, Ground Forces To El Paso
Earlier this week, the Texas National Guard surged personnel and resources to ramp up border security activity in El Paso. Approximately 200 soldiers were deployed to support existing ground forces to reinforce existing border barriers and repel illegal crossings.