WACO, Texas — McLennan County has joined Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star.
Several sheriffs from across the State of Texas came to Waco to announce McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara’s participation.
Gov. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021 to respond to a rise in illegal immigration at the Texas-Mexico border.
28 law enforcement agencies in Texas participate, and now McLennan County has joined with Sheriff McNamara in heading up the Central Texas task force.
“We’re going to continue our focus on narcotics. We’re going to be working the I-35 corridor hard to see if we can stop dealers headed north," Sheriff McNamara said.
As part of Operation Lone Star, McLennan County deputies will be communicating with other agencies to track down drug dealers and human smugglers.
“For us, the corridor to Dallas has been open and this will help stop that, and put a squeeze on Mexican cartel operatives in Central Texas,” Goliad County Sheriff Roy Boyd said.
Sheriff Boyd helped create Operation Lone Star with Gov. Abbott.
"We’re sharing intelligence real time, and we take action as they make their way to Houston or Dallas," Sheriff Boyd said.
So why should people at home care?
“If you have a problem, it ties to the open border and enforcement of transnational activity," Sheriff Boyd said.
Sheriff McNamara will also be recruiting other Central Texas agencies to join Operation Lone Star.
"We’re proud they’ve asked us to be part of it, and we’re going to jump in wholeheartedly," Sheriff McNamara said.
