Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced the launch of Operation Lone Star to "combat the smuggling of people and drugs into Texas" on Saturday.
According to Governor Abbott, the operation integrates DPS with the Texas National Guard and deploys air, ground, marine, and tactical border security assets to "high threat areas to deny Mexican cartels and other smugglers the ability to move drugs and people into Texas."
In a news release, Governor Abbott said " the crisis at our southern border continues to escalate" because of Biden administration policies.
“Texas supports legal immigration but will not be an accomplice to the open border policies that cause, rather than prevent, a humanitarian crisis in our state and endanger the lives of Texans. We will surge the resources and law enforcement personnel needed to confront this crisis," Abbott said.
This decision follows a meeting last monthbetween Governor Abbott and DPS Director Colonel Steve McCraw where they discussed strategies to enhance safety and security along the border.
