"These laws will help stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas, add additional funding to build more border wall, and crackdown on human smuggling."
– Governor Greg Abbott
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – 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.
Texas has bused:
- Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
- Over 33,600 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 28,000 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 13,800 migrants to Denver since May 18
- Over 1,300 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14
2023 HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
Governor Abbott Announces New Texas Border Czar Mike Banks
In January, Governor Abbott announced the new position of Texas Border Czar to oversee border security in President Biden's absence at a press conference on a Texas border wall construction site in San Benito. Mike Banks serves as Special Advisor on Border Matters to the Governor and as the State of Texas' first-ever Border Czar.
Texas National Guard Expands Operation Lone Star Efforts To West Texas
The Texas National Guard expanded its Operation Lone Star mission to El Paso in response to the unprecedented number of illegal border crossings in the area earlier this year. The Texas Air National Guard provided four C-130J Hercules aircraft to expedite movement of personnel and vehicles to the far western region, with tactical troop movements also occurring across Texas.
WATCH: DPS Busts Fentanyl Lab In Houston Disguised As Car Rental Business
Governor Abbott Deploys New Texas Tactical Border Force
In May, Governor Abbott announced the deployment of the new Texas Tactical Border Force to the Texas-Mexico border to respond to the growing border crisis.
Governor Abbott Signs Package Of Border Security Bills, Deploys Marine Barriers
DPS Brush Teams Arrest 41 Illegal Immigrants On Private Property In Eagle Pass
Governors Abbott, Noem, Pillen, Reynolds, Stitt Band Together To Secure Border
In total, 14 states—Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming—have stepped up to support Texas' efforts and deployed personnel and resources to secure the border in President Biden's absence.
Operation Lone Star Secures Fronton Island From Ruthless Mexican Cartels
In November, Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers secured Fronton Island in the Rio Grande River to gain operational control and prevent cross-border criminal activity from Mexican cartels
Texas Air National Guard Helps Law Enforcement Seize Over 800 Lbs. Of Narcotics
Texas National Guard Engineers Install New Anti-Climb Barrier In Brownsville
Governor Abbott Signs Historic Border Security Measures In Brownsville
On December 18, in front of the Texas border wall in Brownsville, Governor Abbott signed into law a transformative package of border security legislation passed during Special Session #3 and Special Session #4 of the 88th Texas Legislature.
"President Biden’s deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself. Today, I will sign three laws to better protect Texas—and America—from President Biden’s border neglect," said Governor Abbott. "These laws will help stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas, add additional funding to build more border wall, and crackdown on human smuggling."
WATCH: Texas National Guard Continues To Secure The Border In 2023
