Texas Arrest More Than 7,000 Migrants under “Operation Lone Star”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot has ordered “Operation Lone Star,” which resulted in 7,744 migrant arrests made on criminal charges.

The Texas Military Department and the state’s Department of Public Safety announced this figure. The number revealed was recorded as of Oct. 14, and it included 1,300 arrests made on criminal trespassing charges. Meanwhile, 6,339 arrests have been made on felony charges.

Apart from these, 73,031 migrant apprehensions and referrals have been made, while the count for vehicle pursuits is 822.

Earlier this year, Gov. Abbot ordered the National Guard to come and aid local law enforcement with the arrests of migrants who go against state laws amid the southern border crisis.

According to Lt. Chris Olivares of the DPS last September, “We’re not doing catch and release; we’re doing catch and jail.”

On Tuesday, Abbot tweeted a Fox News clip showing state law enforcement officials apprehending migrants who were hiding in rail carts. With this tweet, Abbott said that immigrants who do crimes “will be put behind bars not sent to Border Patrol for catch & release. TxDPS, along with the Texas National Guard, have made thousands of arrests this year through #OperationLoneStar.”

Last week, Brig. Gen. Monie Ulis, who serves as the commander of Operation Lone Star, revealed in a statement that the Texas National Guard is directing personnel and equipment to the Texas-Mexico border area, aiming to support the operation. “As we build our force, we remain ready to detect, block, and apprehend individuals and groups conducting illegal activity,” Ulis also mentioned.

The statement also pointed out that apart from the manpower, TMD has also assigned “hundreds of items of tactical equipment” in helping secure the area of the border from Del Rio to Brownsville. It also revealed that air assets were allocated for this. Additionally, more tactical equipment will be sent to the border in the next few weeks to help with the operation.

Apart from the figures announced, officials also noted one arrest that the DPS Strike Team facilitated in Cameron County. In that incident, the driver fled on foot and was later found by authorities hiding in a garage.

Later on, it has been revealed that the said man was a deported felon carrying 32 packs of cocaine. He was also moving four immigrants in his vehicle.

According to DPS Director Steven McCraw, “We will remain at the border and focus on the core mission of OLS (Operation Lone Star) as long as is needed. We are still making numerous arrests and seizing large quantities of drugs and guns, showing our presence there is necessary.”

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