Gov. Greg Abbott's latest move in Texas' border security actions has seen the state transport over 100,000 migrants to several sanctuary cities across the country. This comes amidst ongoing efforts by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard, in an initiative known as Operation Lone Star, aiming to clamp down on illegal border crossings and the influx of contraband.
Since its inception, these crackdown efforts have resulted in a staggering 495,400 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 38,300 criminal arrests, covering an array of more than 34,700 felony charges. Texas officials tout this as a necessary response to a perceived absence of federal action, crediting themselves with interfering with what could have been a surge of individuals and illegal substances into Texas and further into America. As reported by the governor's office, the operation has seized significant amounts of drugs, including over 453 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
The transportation of migrants by Texas to various cities began in April 2022 with over 12,500 sent to Washington, D.C., followed by more than 37,100 to New York City since August of the same year. Migrant transports have continued to other cities including over 30,800 to Chicago, over 3,400 to Philadelphia, over 15,700 to Denver, and upwards of 1,500 to Los Angeles. This strategy has been heavily criticized by opponents, who argue that it turns a humanitarian crisis into a political spectacle.
Abbott's administration maintains that the impetus behind transporting migrants lies in provoking a stronger federal response to border security issues, emphatically stating that the Biden Administration has fallen short in safeguarding the border. "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 President Joe Biden’s open border policies," the governor's office declared.
