Texas cracks down on violent Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua | Texas Governor’s Office

September 20, 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, combat the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas, and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between border crossings.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has resulted in more than 520,600 arrests of illegal immigrants and more than 47,000 criminal arrests, resulting in more than 40,800 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized more than 543 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 reduced illegal border crossings into the state by 87 percent thanks to our historic border security mission. Fewer illegal border crossings into Texas means fewer migrants needing to be transported to sanctuary cities. Since the inception of Texas’ transportation program, the state has transported:

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

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the federal government’s failure to secure the border. Every individual apprehended or arrested, every gram of drugs seized, would otherwise have found its way into communities across Texas and the nation because of the open border policy.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS OF OPERATION LONE STAR:

WATCH: Governor Abbott: Texas Takes Action on Violent Tren De Aragua Gang

On Tuesday, Governor Abbott spoke with Fox News’ Dana Perino about the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Texas’ new statewide operation to thwart TdA and disrupt their criminal activities and gain a foothold in the state.

Governor Abbott noted that Texas will use all available tools and resources to ensure that the state stands hostile to this violent gang.

“If (Tren de Aragua) is not checked, it will only expand the terror and carnage that TdA causes in any country,” Governor Abbott said. “That’s why Texas is the first state in the United States to say that Tren de Aragua will not only not be unwelcome here, but we will seek them out, find them, and put them behind bars.”

WATCH: DPS Discovers 16 Illegal Immigrants Behind False Wall in Cargo Trailer

On Monday, a DPS officer stopped a Ford F-250 that was pulling a semi-truck on U.S. 77 in Kenedy County. During the stop, the driver, Anthony Johnson of Houston, consented to a search of the truck. During the search, officers discovered a false wall, and behind the wall were 16 illegal immigrants crammed into a small compartment with no air ventilation.

Jhonson was arrested and charged with 16 counts of human smuggling with the potential for serious bodily injury or death. All 16 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.

DPS Arrests Group of More Than 120 Illegal Immigrants Near Del Rio

Earlier this week, DPS officers responded to a group of 124 illegal immigrants just outside of Del Rio, in Normandy, Texas. The group consisted of single adults, unaccompanied children, and several families. DPS officers arrested 27 illegal immigrants from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, and Peru for criminal trespassing. All of the families and 22 unaccompanied children were referred to Border Patrol.

Among the group of 124 was Masoumeh Fooladlou from Iran. Fooladlou held dual passports from Iran and Brazil. She was turned over to intelligence specialists for further screening as a foreign subject of interest.

WATCH: Lt. Christopher Olivarez on the Threat TdA Poses in Texas

On Sunday, Lt. Christopher Olivarez joined Fox & Friends Weekend to discuss the rise of gang activity by TdA. Lt. Olivarez emphasized that crimes committed by illegal immigrants and violent gangs like TdA could have been prevented by the federal government securing the border.

“This is something that we have warned about as law enforcement, that this would have a devastating impact, a devastating impact if you let tens of thousands, now millions of illegal immigrants into the country unchecked and unleashed,” Lt. Olivarez said. “This is a result of that. And now we’re trying to go back and identify these individuals that are in the country now, that have criminal histories, that are committing crimes, how do you get them out, how do you identify them. Now you have this gang, where before we just talked about MS-13. This gang, Tren de Aragua, has grown so much, even more than MS-13.”

WATCH: Texas National Guard Installs More Border Barriers in El Paso

Under Operation Lone Star, Texas National Guard soldiers continue to clear brush and install more anti-climb barriers and triple-barbed wire to deter and deter illegal immigration from Mexico into Texas. In El Paso, Major Charles Gamero, commander of Tactical Support Company – Task Force West, emphasizes the importance of expanding the border barrier system to protect Texans and Americans.

“We support the governor’s intent by putting these barriers in place and being Texans serving Texans,” Maj. Gamero said. “This project and what we’re doing here on the Texas border is so incredibly important, not just for Texas, but for the United States as a whole.”

Texas National Guard uses drones in border arrests

Texas National Guard troops, along with state and local law enforcement, have arrested three illegal immigrants this week using drone technology. A drone team identified a group of illegal border crossers near a known high-traffic area and alerted nearby brush operations and law enforcement partners.

Ground troops apprehended the group of illegal immigrants, resulting in three arrests for criminal trespassing. One other illegal immigrant was deported back to Mexico. The illegal immigrants attempted to evade detection as they made their way to a loading vehicle to enter the United States.

The Texas National Guard partners with the Louisiana National Guard to reinforce barriers at Eagle Pass

Earlier this week, Texas National Guard engineers assigned to Operation Lone Star’s Task Force Eagle worked with Louisiana National Guard engineers to expand and reinforce the foundations of the border barriers at Eagle Pass.

With the support of half of America’s governors, Texas continues to use every possible tool and strategy to stop the unprecedented illegal immigration at our southern border.