Governor Greg Abbott announced a large immigration operation in Liberty County targeting the Colony Ridge area, led by Texas troopers and Homeland Security Investigations. The operation aimed to apprehend individuals suspected of being criminals or in the country illegally. During the enforcement, people were stopped on local roads and parking lots. Resident Delmis Lopez said, "I am scared for my family," while Wendy Moreno expressed concern, saying, "I'm mad and bothered because they are innocent people trying to make a living and provide for their families," according to ABC13.
Gov. Abbott has been working with Tom Homan, the "border czar" appointed by Trump, on a crackdown for months. Residents like Roberto Alfaro reported seeing confrontations with law enforcement in their neighborhoods early in the morning. Alfaro took photos of a neighbor being detained. "They were just scared," Alfaro said, as reported by KHOU.
Colony Ridge's CEO, John Harris, expressed support for the operation in the area, stating, "We are grateful for the efforts of Governor Abbott, Tom Homan and all those involved in rooting out criminal illegals in Texas." Pastor William Llana of San Esteban Episcopal Church disagreed, saying, "I know good people in this area, good families, not all are criminals," as stated by KHOU. Colony Ridge, a community with many Hispanic immigrants, is facing a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton in March 2024, accusing developers of deceptive trade practices and fraud in land sales. The community has been criticized for selling land to individuals with limited credit access.
