Texas Expands Floating Marine Barriers To Secure The Border

TEXAS, November 22 - November 22, 2024 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

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 526,600 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 48,700 criminal arrests, with more than 41,900 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 553 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 86% 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:
 
WATCH: Governor Abbott: Texas’ Floating Marine Barriers Are Effective For Denying Illegal Entry
 
On Wednesday, Governor Abbott joined Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo to announce that Texas is expanding the length of the floating marine barriers along the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass. These low-cost border barriers have been successful to deny illegal entry into Texas and are just one of the effective tools Texas continues to deploy to secure the border.
 
“These buoys were designed by the Border Patrol because they were in fact effective at denying illegal entry,” said Governor Abbott. “As soon as I put them in the [Rio Grande River], Joe Biden files a lawsuit to put a stop to it. I told Joe Biden to stick it and that we are keeping the buoys in the river; they’ve remained in the river ever since then. What we’re doing this morning is expanding those buoys in the river. They are completely effective at denying illegal entry. This is a way to prevent people from entering the state of Texas at a lower cost.” 

WATCH: Governor Abbott: Texas’ Migrant Transportation Program Alerted America To Border Crisis
 
Earlier this week, Governor Abbott joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity, where he touted Texas’ unprecedented migrant transportation program and highlighted the program’s success in bringing national attention to the federal government's border crisis.
 
“We found the right way—the legal way—to be able to move migrants that Biden dropped off into our neighborhoods in South Texas and move them to sanctuary cities,” said Governor Abbott. “What was once a Texas problem turned out to be a problem for the entire United States of America. That compelled Americans to get up in arms and be angry about what Biden and Harris had done and make sure that we elected a President who was going to solve it."

Governor Abbott: Razor Wire Barriers Work 
 
On Wednesday, Governor Abbott showcased photos on X, formerly known as Twitter, of Texas National Guard soldiers installing razor wire barriers in Eagle Pass.
 
Razor wire barriers are one of the many strategies Texas utilizes that contribute to the 86% decrease in illegal crossings into Texas.
 
Texas will continue to secure our border to keep our communities safe.

Governor Abbott: Border Wall Construction Continues In Val Verde County
 
This week on X, Governor Abbott shared footage of construction workers installing more border wall panels in Val Verde County.
 
Texas will continue to add more miles of border wall to secure the Texas-Mexico border.

Governor Abbott: Texas Adds More Floating Marine Barriers In Rio Grande River
 
This week on X, Governor Abbott showcased Texas placing more floating marine barriers in the Rio Grande River.
 
Last year, Governor Abbott announced the deployment of floating marine barriers designed to deter illegal crossings in hotspots along the Rio Grande River. Despite efforts by the Biden Administration to remove the barriers, Texas kept them in the Rio Grande River and will continue to expand them to deny illegal entry into the state.

WATCH: DPS Arrests Illegal Immigrant Smuggler In Val Verde County

Last week, a smuggler driving a Honda Civic led DPS troopers on a pursuit along US-277 in Val Verde County. During the pursuit, the smuggler, Jose Rigoberto Perez Calderon, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, drove on the wrong side of the road, almost crashing head-on with a truck tractor semi-trailer.
 
Calderon eventually stopped and bailed out of the vehicle, along with four other illegal immigrants. DPS troopers located Calderon hiding in the brush, and he was arrested and charged with evading arrest and smuggling of persons.
 
All four illegal immigrants, from Mexico and Honduras, were arrested for evading arrest.

WATCH: DPS Brush Team, K-9 Track Down Three Illegal Immigrants In Hidalgo County
 
The DPS Brush Team in the Rio Grande Valley, along with DPS K-9 Tiny, tracked down three illegal immigrants hiding in the brush in a rural area of Hidalgo County. Following the track, DPS troopers arrested a 16-year-old smuggling guide from Mexico.
 
The guide was charged with smuggling of persons after it was determined he had been guiding the other two illegal immigrants across the Rio Grande River.

DPS Apprehends Over 150 Illegal Immigrants In Maverick County
 
Earlier this week in Maverick County, DPS troopers apprehended a group of 154 illegal immigrants that illegally crossed the Rio Grande River between the ports of entry.
 
The group included six special interest illegal immigrants from Afghanistan. All 154 were turned over to Border Patrol.

Texas National Guard, Law Enforcement Arrest Human Traffickers In Terrell County
 
This week, Texas National Guard soldiers assisted DPS troopers in successfully intercepting and detaining a group of suspected human traffickers traveling in Terrell County.
 
Texas National Guard sensors detected a group of potential human traffickers in a vehicle and soldiers alerted DPS troopers to apprehend them. DPS troopers stopped the vehicle and apprehended the driver and passengers.

Texas National Guard Assists In Apprehension, Arrest Of Illegal Immigrants
 
Earlier this week, Texas National Guard soldiers played a pivotal role in multiple operations that led to the apprehension of 13 migrants who illegally entered Texas from Mexico. Soldiers also assisted in the arrests of two illegal immigrants with active warrants for parole violations.
 
Texas National Guard soldiers assisted law enforcement partners in a high-speed vehicle pursuit. The chase concluded when the illegal immigrants' vehicle ran out of gas, and law enforcement partners moved in and arrested the two illegal immigrants with outstanding warrants. Officers searched the vehicle and found drugs and drug paraphernalia, both of which were seized.
 
Following the arrests of the two illegal immigrants, Texas National Guard soldiers worked with law enforcement in two illegal entry attempts. Soldiers and law enforcement partners apprehended a total of 13 migrants who illegally entered the state and were attempting to move further into the U.S.