Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to ramp up law enforcement and homeland security operations across Texas, with a heavy emphasis on the border, after a wave of cartel violence erupted in Mexico. The move beefs up patrols and specialized units along the border amid concerns that the unrest could spill over into Texas communities, according to state officials.
Abbott's directive and the DPS response
In a press release via the Office of the Texas Governor, Abbott said he directed DPS to surge Texas Highway Patrol troopers, Texas Rangers, the Criminal Investigations Division, and the Special Operations Group to the border region, along with increased marine and aircraft patrols. The release also states that DPS's Homeland Security Division and the Texas Fusion Center will activate additional personnel to monitor social media and reports of suspicious activity around the clock. Abbott's statement urged Texans in or traveling to Mexico to heed federal travel warnings and to stay in contact with embassy or consular officials.
How DPS says it will escalate operations
The San Antonio Express-News reports that the surge will focus on detecting, interdicting, and apprehending criminal actors near ports of entry and along border corridors, including stepped-up use of the Tactical Marine Unit and the Aircraft Operations Division. Local reporting notes that DPS plans coordinated patrols that mix highway, mounted, and specialized tactical units to cover both river and land approaches. Officials told reporters the effort is meant to deter spillover violence rather than shut down ports of entry.
What prompted the move
State officials pointed to a weekend operation in Mexico that killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes and triggered coordinated reprisals, including road blockades, vehicle burnings, and attacks on infrastructure, according to reporting by the AP. Those attacks prompted some foreign missions to advise U.S. citizens to shelter in place, and Texas officials said the state's increased presence is intended to guard against any cross-border fallout. Abbott framed the order as a proactive step to protect Texans from transnational criminal threats.
Help and safety numbers
The governor's release included emergency contact information: Texans who need immediate assistance while abroad were told to call the U.S. Department of State at 1-888-407-4747 from inside the U.S. or +1-202-501-4444 from overseas, and to contact the Texas Fusion Center at 1-844-927-0521, per the U.S. Department of State. The State Department also recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for real-time alerts. Local officials encouraged anyone who sees suspicious activity near the border to report it to DPS and to local law enforcement.
Where this fits in
Abbott's move tracks with the aggressive border posture his office has pursued for years, including Operation Lone Star deployments and earlier executive orders aimed at cartel networks. State materials and reporting from the Texas Department of Public Safety document repeated uses of mounted, marine, and aerial assets as part of broader interdiction and intelligence efforts. Critics and some local leaders have raised concerns about civil liberties and the diplomatic fallout of extensive state policing at the border.
For now, Abbott's order signals that Texas will keep a visible law enforcement presence along the border until officials decide the cross-border threat has eased. Residents and travelers are being urged to monitor official channels for updates and to use the emergency numbers above if they need help.
