Austin News

Governor Greg Abbott, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas National Guard, expressed gratitude to the dedicated service members of Operation Lone Star. This multi-agency effort aims to secure the Texas border, prevent the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people, and combat transnational criminal activity.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, significant progress has been made. Over 485,700 illegal immigrant apprehensions have been made, and more than 36,800 criminal arrests have been reported, with over 33,400 felony charges filed. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 449 million lethal doses of fentanyl.

Furthermore, Texas has provided transportation for migrants to various cities across the country. Over 12,500 migrants have been bused to Washington, D.C., over 24,200 to New York City, over 19,700 to Chicago, over 3,200 to Philadelphia, over 6,800 to Denver, and over 1,100 to Los Angeles.

Operation Lone Star has been crucial in filling the gaps left by the Biden Administration's failure to secure the border. Governor Abbott emphasized that every apprehension, arrest, and drug seizure prevented these individuals and substances from entering communities across Texas and the nation due to President Biden's open border policies.

In a recent highlight of Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott and former President Donald J. Trump served Thanksgiving meals to over 240 Texas National Guard soldiers, DPS troopers, and other service members stationed on the border. Governor Abbott expressed his gratitude, saying, "Texas is forever grateful for our brave service members who work day and night to protect and defend our state and our nation."

Governor Abbott also made it clear that Texas will not wait for President Biden to secure the border. The state has taken matters into its own hands by becoming the only state in America to build its own border wall. Additionally, to alleviate the strain on overwhelmed border communities, Texas has bused over 67,000 migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities.

The engineers serving Operation Lone Star have been instrumental in deterring illegal crossings by building and repairing sections of Texas' border barriers. Anti-climb fencing and triple-strand concertina wire have been installed to supplement existing border walls in El Paso.

Operation Lone Star continues to demonstrate the dedication and commitment of Texas service members in protecting the state and the nation. Governor Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety express their gratitude to these brave men and women who work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all Texans and Americans.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/state-of-texas-thanks-dedicated-operation-lone-star-service-members