Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are working together to secure the border and prevent transnational criminal activity. Since Operation Lone Star began, over 529,500 illegal immigrants have been apprehended, and more than 49,400 criminal arrests have been made. This includes over 42,500 felony charges. In addressing the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 588 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
Texas has reduced illegal crossings into the state by over 87%, leading to fewer migrants being transported to sanctuary cities. Since April 2022, Texas has transported over 12,500 migrants to Washington D.C., more than 45,900 to New York City since August 2022, and thousands more to other major cities including Chicago and Los Angeles.
Operation Lone Star aims to address gaps left by federal border policies. "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 open border policies," according to statements from officials involved in the operation.
Recent developments include:
- Governor Abbott shared images on social media showing Texas National Guard soldiers installing razor wire barriers near El Paso.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of Texas' right to build these barriers.
- Border wall construction continues in Maverick County.
- DPS troopers arrested two Mexican nationals in Kinney County for trespassing; one was a confirmed Mexican Mafia gang member with a history of aggravated assault.
- A human smuggler from El Salvador was arrested following a high-speed pursuit in La Salle County.
Texas National Guard efforts also include reinforcing miles of razor wire barriers along key areas at the border and patrolling the Rio Grande River with boat teams. These measures aim to stop illegal crossings effectively.
Staff Sergeant Isais Mayen highlighted his team's work: “This week...we noticed a potential (cartel-associated) drop-off location used for illegal trafficking,” adding that they alerted law enforcement partners about this activity.
Specialist Leonardo Cartagena emphasized community safety: “Operation Lone Star is important...because I was born and raised here in Texas...it’s also about securing towns.”
