AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard continue to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 529,700 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 49,600 criminal arrests, with more than 42,600 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 604 million lethal doses of fentanyl—enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico combined during this border mission. 

Texas has decreased illegal crossings into the state by over 87% due to our historic border security mission. Fewer illegal crossings into Texas means fewer migrants to transport to sanctuary cities. Since the start of Texas’ transportation program, the state has transported:

• Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
• Over 45,900 migrants to New York City since August 2022
• Over 36,900 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
• Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
• Over 19,200 migrants to Denver since May 2023
• Over 1,500 migrants to Los Angeles since June 2023

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the federal government’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 open border policies.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:

Governor Abbott Unveils Billboards To Dissuade Migrants From Making Dangerous Journey To Texas

Yesterday, Governor Abbott unveiled the state’s new billboard campaign in Central America and Mexico to dissuade migrants from making the dangerous journey to illegally cross the border into the United States during a press conference next to a burned down rape tree at Wall Ranch in Eagle Pass. 

“These billboards tell the horror stories of human trafficking,” said Governor Abbott. “They implore those people in Central America to consider the violent, horrific realities of what will happen to the women and children they bring with them. Through Operation Lone Star, we have done some incredible work to stop illegal border crossers. But this new effort is about stopping their journey from even beginning in the first place. Until President Donald Trump is back in the White House to secure our border once again, we will continue to take every step necessary to defend Texas.” 

Over 40 billboards have been strategically placed in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico and along the Texas-Mexico border with translations in Spanish as well as Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.