Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between ports of entry.
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 351,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 25,000 criminal arrests, with more than 22,000 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, DPS has seized over 365 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.
Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure 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 Biden’s open border policies.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
Governor Abbott, Texas Border Chairmen Discuss Border Security In Weslaco
On Tuesday, Governor Abbott hosted a roundtable discussion and press conference with Senator Brian Birdwell, Representative Ryan Guillen, and Operation Lone Star officials in Weslaco on the state’s ongoing border security efforts after last week designating border security an emergency item for this legislative session.
“I am proud to be here today with Senator Birdwell and Representative Guillen, so they could see firsthand the work being done by the brave men and women of Operation Lone Star and so we could review plans for the next two years,” said Governor Abbott. “We’re sending a message today: If you’re coming toward the United States of America and thinking about making a border crossing in the State of Texas, you’re picking the wrong state to try to enter into.”
During the roundtable discussion, the Governor and state leaders outlined Texas’ expanding strategies to secure our southern border and legislative actions needed to continue funding the state’s historic defense of the border in President Biden’s absence.
Governor Abbott Announces Emergency Items For 88th Legislative Session
Last week, Governor Abbott delivered his 2023 State of the State address, in which he named securing the border and addressing the fentanyl crisis as two of his seven emergency items for the 88th Legislative Session.
To continue addressing President Biden’s border crisis in full force, Governor Abbott will work with members of the legislature to secure more funding to bolster border security efforts and pass legislation mandating a minimum jail sentence for human smuggling, among other proposals. To fight the devastating fentanyl crisis, the Governor has proposed working with the legislature to prosecute an individual for murder if they distribute fentanyl or drugs laced with fentanyl that kill someone, as well as other actions.
WATCH: Governor Abbott Discusses Border Security As Legislative Priority
Governor Abbott this week spoke with Amarillo’s ABC 7 News on designating border security as an emergency item for the Texas legislature to address this session. Because President Biden has dismantled every effective border security strategy enacted by the previous administration, Texas is now having to step up to combat record-high illegal border crossings.
“We need both new strategies as well as greater investment in what we’re currently doing,” said Governor Abbott.
