In a palpable effort to curb illegal border crossings and associated criminal activities, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been quite busy. Throughout 2024, Operation Lone Star, under the guidance of Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard has reportedly seen illegal border crossings drop by a significant 87%, according to the Office of the Texas Governor. Abbott's administration has lauded this decrease as a response to what they call "the devastation caused by the federal government."
In his persistent push to defend Texas' southern border, Abbott has to also work in concert with former President Donald J. Trump, with whom he hosted a border security briefing earlier this year. "The United States of America is dealing with more deadly consequences than we have in our entire lifetime because of President Biden’s open border policies," Abbott told the media. Numerous operations and initiatives have marked the year, with the goal to bolster security measures and limit illegal crossings and the activities of criminal organizations, as mentioned by the Office of the Texas Governor.
Last May brought the establishment of a new military base in Eagle Pass, aimed to offer better support for the troops engaged in these operations. The base has been designed with a variety of amenities to ensure the soldiers' well-being as they engage in their duties. Additionally, there's been a launch of Texas' 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List — another component of Abbott's security strategy which has already seen arrests. In a challenging July court ruling, Texas was allowed to maintain floating marine barriers on the Rio Grande River, which Abbott celebrated as a victory for the state's autonomy in securing its borders, as stated by the Office of the Texas Governor.
In what can only be seen as a controversial measure, an executive order was issued by Abbott requiring Texas hospitals to collect and report on the healthcare costs for illegal immigrants, an action intended to account for the financial burden on the state's healthcare system. The Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, was designated as a terrorist organization by Abbott's administration in September, intensifying the state's law enforcement focus on this group's activities. And just last week, Abbott took an unconventional step by unveiling a billboard campaign aimed to dissuade potential immigrants from embarking on the journey toward the Texas border, reinforcing the message with billboards in not just Spanish, but also Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, placed strategically in Mexico and along the Texas-Mexico border, as per the Office of the Texas Governor.
As Governor Abbott pledges continued vigilance, the state of Texas braces to enter another year under his stringent border policies, looking to maintain and broaden the security initiatives enacted throughout 2024. Amidst all these actions, it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be in the longer term and what implications they will hold for the state and its relations with the federal government and international communities.
