In a push to bolster Texas’ southern border defenses, Governor Greg Abbott and state agencies have stepped up their operations with the latest addition of a strategic barrier. As part of Operation Lone Star, the initiative spearheaded by Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety, including the Texas National Guard, is aimed at combating the trafficking of narcotics, weapons, and people across the border.
Since the operation's commencement, there have been significant numbers reported: over 488,500 apprehensions of illegal immigrants and more than 37,300 criminal arrests—yielding over 33,800 felony charges, data from the governor's office showed. Texas authorities have also cinched a substantial amount of the potent opioid fentanyl—over 450 million lethal doses—which, they claim, would have otherwise penetrated deep into the heart of Texas and extended beyond into various parts of the country.
The mounting numbers also include the busing of migrants to various cities across the United States: over 12,500 to Washington, D.C., 27,300 to New York City, 22,500 to Chicago, 3,200 to Philadelphia, 8,900 to Denver, and 1,100 to Los Angeles. These relocations, stated by officials as a response to federal immigration policies, have sparked both support and criticism in a deeply divided political climate on immigration issues.
According to Abbott's official announcement, Operation Lone Star is tasked with "fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border." The governor argues that each individual apprehended or arrested, each ounce of drugs confiscated, represents a victory against what he labels as "President Joe Biden’s open border policies."
While figures released by the governor’s office paint a picture of a frontline battle against illegal activities across the border, the broader implications of such stringent border enforcement, including the human costs and the evolving role of state governments in immigration policy, remain topics of intense discussion. For now, the new strategic barrier stands as the latest development in Texas' ongoing strategy to manage its southern border amidst a polarizing national debate.
