According to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the state’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and Tren de Aragua (TdA) migrant gang activity have yielded positive results. Governor Abbott stated that the state's initiatives have led to a nearly 90% decrease in illegal crossings and close to 50,000 criminal arrests.
Abbott's office highlighted the success of the Texas-led campaign known as 'Operation Lonestar,' which commenced in March 2021 and involved the participation of over a dozen other Republican states. The operation resulted in 530,400 illegal immigrant apprehensions, over 49,900 criminal arrests, and more than 42,900 felony charges.
During Operation Lonestar, Texas made history by becoming the first state to independently construct a border wall, despite President Biden halting such construction early in his term.
Emphasizing the importance of safety and security for Texans, Governor Abbott expressed determination to combat the threat posed by Tren de Aragua. The state's law enforcement efforts during the operation led to the seizure of over 620 million lethal doses of fentanyl, a quantity deemed sufficient to cause harm across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Furthermore, Abbott designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and initiated a strike team to target and apprehend its members. Notably, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers arrested four TdA members, including a potential high-ranking individual, on New Year's Eve.
The statement from the governor's office revealed that Texas transported 119,400 migrants to cities with sanctuary policies, such as Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles. Operation Lone Star incurred costs exceeding $11 billion, allocated towards border security measures, deployment of National Guard soldiers and troopers, migrant transportation, barrier installation, gang suppression, and border wall construction.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, credited these efforts with an 87% reduction in illegal crossings into Texas. Mahaleris expressed Governor Abbott's commitment to collaborating with the incoming administration to safeguard the state and the nation from border challenges.
