Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are collaborating with the Trump Administration to enhance border security in Texas. The joint efforts aim to halt the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas and to counter transnational criminal activities at the border.
Operation Lone Star, a multi-agency initiative, has resulted in over 533,400 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 53,900 criminal arrests. These arrests include over 45,400 felony charges. Additionally, Texas law enforcement has seized over 726 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this operation.
Governor Abbott expressed gratitude to the U.S. House of Representatives for allocating $12 billion in President Donald J. Trump’s bill to reimburse states for expenses related to border defense. “Former President Biden’s reckless open border policies left Texas and the rest of America defenseless against an unprecedented surge of illegal immigration,” said Governor Abbott.
The governor shared images on social media showing Texas National Guard soldiers working with federal partners near Roma along the Texas-Mexico border. According to him, illegal border crossings have decreased by 99.9% since President Trump took office.
In recent incidents reported under Operation Lone Star, DPS troopers arrested Humberto Misael Garcia after a high-speed chase in Webb County. Garcia was charged with multiple offenses including smuggling persons and reckless driving. Another arrest involved Kevin Andres Ramirez in Val Verde County who was charged with human smuggling after two immigrants were found in his vehicle’s trunk.
Two weeks ago, DPS troopers and Border Patrol agents seized 72 pounds of marijuana and apprehended three teenage smugglers in Cameron County as part of a joint anti-smuggling operation.
Texas National Guard soldiers have begun installing barriers on Department of Defense land for the first time under Operation Lone Star. This includes razor wire and anti-climb barriers aimed at enhancing security along high-traffic areas requested by Border Patrol.
Additionally, Texas National Guard boat response teams continue their patrols on the Rio Grande River as part of their ongoing efforts to secure the border. Special Agent Sebastian Casares emphasized their role in preventing illegal activities: “Our goal is to not let anybody cross.”
