Amidst ongoing tensions on the Texas border, a dispute has surfaced regarding the sovereignty of two islands near Roma, Texas, with Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham identifying Beaver Island and Roma Island as state territory. Buckingham has requested both state and federal assistance to secure these islands, claiming they have been utilized by smugglers and cartel operations, describing the areas as "cartel infested" in an announcement reported by Fox San Antonio.
Contradicting Buckingham's accusations, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Military Department have stated that the reports of cartel activity are inaccurate. A joint statement from the agencies affirmed operational control in the region, asserting that "Texas will not allow its territory be claimed by cartels." However, Buckingham shared a redacted email from someone within the Texas Military Department, noted in a News 4 San Antonio report, which read, "These locations are being used by cartels for smuggling operations and as stash sites for weapons and other illicit activities."
As border security remains a hot topic within the state's legislature, Senate Bill 36 proposes the establishment of a homeland security office within the Department of Public Safety. The bill, however, faces scrutiny over its financial implications, with a review noting a potential $7.1 million deficit by August 2027. State Senator Sarah Eckhardt expressed her concern over the permanence of border security operations, questioning, "Is it your intention that with this bill, our border security operations would become a permanent fixture within the DPS command structure?" to which State Senator Tan Parker responded, as reported by Fox San Antonio.
Another development in the area includes the deployment of U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicles to West Texas, which the Border Patrol is praising as a significant addition to its operational capabilities. Orlando Marrero Rubio, an El Paso sector Border Patrol agent, suggested a direct correlation between the Strykers' presence and the absence of "gotaways" during a recent press conference. As he told News 4 San Antonio, "there were no 'gotaways' on the day of a recent press conference," giving credit to the combined efforts of the Department of Defense and Border Patrol resources. Plans to further deploy such vehicles are underway as the authorities continue to address illegal border crossings.
