Houston Daily

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas National Guard, under the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, continue to collaborate with federal agencies in their ongoing efforts to secure the state's borders. This initiative is part of Operation Lone Star, a multi-agency effort aimed at curbing illegal immigration and criminal activities along the border.

Since its inception, Operation Lone Star has resulted in over 533,100 apprehensions of illegal immigrants and more than 53,400 criminal arrests. The operation has also led to the seizure of over 691 million lethal doses of fentanyl. According to state officials, these measures are necessary due to what they describe as "open border policies" by the Biden Administration.

Governor Abbott recently highlighted several developments related to this operation. On social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, he shared images showing Texas National Guard soldiers installing razor wire barriers near Eagle Pass. He stated that these actions are part of efforts "to stop illegal immigration and keep America safe."

In another post on X, Governor Abbott noted that Texas National Guard soldiers had successfully turned back an individual attempting an illegal crossing into Texas. He credited former President Donald J. Trump’s policies for a significant reduction in illegal border crossings.

Further cooperation between state forces and federal agents was demonstrated when hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers were deputized earlier this year to assist Border Patrol agents in securing the southern border.

Recent incidents have underscored these efforts. Last week in Webb County, DPS troopers engaged in a high-speed pursuit involving a smuggler named Angel Munoz from Laredo. With assistance from a private citizen during a foot chase, Munoz was apprehended and charged with multiple counts related to smuggling and evading arrest.

In another incident last month, DPS pursued Jason Espinoza during a high-speed chase on IH-35 in Webb County. After crashing his vehicle and fleeing into Mexico via the Rio Grande River, Espinoza was later arrested while attempting re-entry into the United States at Laredo port of entry.

Additionally, DPS seized $400,000 worth of cocaine during a traffic stop in Webb County yesterday. A probable cause search aided by a K-9 unit led to this discovery.

Training remains a priority for law enforcement involved in Operation Lone Star. Recently over 100 Texas National Guard soldiers participated in tactical training exercises designed to enhance their readiness for addressing threats at South Texas College Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Specialist Joshua Rendon from Task Force East described their partnership with Border Patrol agents as vital for stopping criminal activities along the border: "We're out here protecting peace... doing what we can and upholding justice."