Texas Continues Operation Lone Star to Secure Border, Engineers Install New Strategic Border Barrier
Governor Greg Abbott, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas National Guard, remains committed to fortifying the state’s southern border as part of Operation Lone Star. The collective effort aims to curb the influx of drugs, weapons, and individuals into Texas while addressing transnational criminal activities.
Since the initiation of Operation Lone Star, the collaborative endeavor has resulted in the apprehension of over 488,500 illegal immigrants and the arrest of more than 37,300 individuals involved in criminal activities. Notably, more than 33,800 felony charges have been filed. In response to the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized an impressive 450 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this mission.
To alleviate the strain on Texas communities, the state has transported migrants to various locations across the country, with numbers reaching:
- Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
- Over 27,300 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 22,500 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,200 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 8,900 migrants to Denver since May 18
- Over 1,100 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14
Operation Lone Star persists in addressing the challenges arising from what Governor Abbott describes as the Biden Administration’s failure to secure the border. The governor emphasizes that every apprehension, arrest, and drug seizure is crucial in preventing these elements from entering communities across Texas and the nation.
In a recent development, Governor Abbott responded to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals’ denial of Texas’ right to use floating marine barriers to secure the border. Speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Abbott asserted Texas’ sovereignty and expressed readiness to escalate the matter to the United States Supreme Court.
Governor Abbott stated, “We will be seeking what’s called an unbuffed ruling by the entire direct court of appeals, and if we lose there, we will take that to the United States Supreme Court because we know Texas has the right to legally deploy those buoys in the water to prevent people from entering our country and our state illegally.”
