TEXAS, August 26 - August 26, 2022 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

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

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to more than 297,200 migrant apprehensions and more than 19,000 criminal arrests, with more than 16,400 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, DPS has seized over 335.5 million lethal doses during this border mission.

Texas has also bused over 7,400 migrants to our nation's capital since April and over 1,500 migrants to New York City since August 5. The busing mission is providing much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities.

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration'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 President Biden's open border policies.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:

WATCH: Governor Abbott Spotlights Migrant Busing To NYC, Dire Fentanyl Crisis

Governor Abbott joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News to spotlight New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ hypocrisy in complaining about bused migrants from Texas arriving in his sanctuary city. After the Governor invited Mayor Adams and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to the border to see the crisis firsthand, the mayors have not accepted the invitation and refuse to acknowledge the magnitude of the problem.

“This is not a Texas problem; this is an American problem caused by the president,” said Governor Abbott. “We need more Americans to call on the president to uphold his oath of office and enforce the immigration laws of the United States.”

GOVERNOR ABBOTT: Eric Adams Is All Talk When It Comes To ‘Open’ Borders

In an op-ed for the New York Post this week, Governor Abbott called out Mayor Adams for boasting about his sanctuary city policies, while failing to live up to his campaign promises. Despite remaining silent when President Biden flew migrants to New York, the mayor is now condemning anyone who presses him to follow through on his ill-considered sanctuary city policies.

“Mayor Adams likes to sloganeer that ‘This is America’ and we need to start acting like it,” Governor Abbott writes. “We are a nation of laws. It’s time to start enforcing them. Doing that would restore the ‘humanity’ he is clamoring for.”

Read Governor Abbott’s op-ed.

WATCH: Governor Abbott Points Out Mayor’s Political Games Amid Border Crisis

Governor Abbott joined Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow to discuss disastrous policies of Democrat leaders like President Biden's open border policies and New York Mayor Adams' hypocritical sanctuary city and the chaos they are creating at our southern border.

“The only reason we have all these people coming across the border is because of President Biden’s open border policies,” said Governor Abbott. “It was just two years ago we had record low numbers of people coming across the border illegally under President Trump because of the four policies he put in place that President Biden eliminated when he became president.”

Texas National Guard Seize 80 Lbs. Of Narcotics Near Residential Area Of Laredo

Texas National Guard soldiers seized 80 lbs. of narcotics near a residential area of Laredo with the assistance of U.S. Border Patrol’s Air and Marine Division. Border Patrol helicopter pilots identified multiple drug smugglers attempting to enter the country and radioed their location to ground forces.

The would-be smugglers left a bundle of narcotics before fleeing, and Border Patrol air assets used infrared lasers to communicate to Texas National Guard soldiers on the ground the exact location of the bundle to seize the drugs.

WATCH: Texas National Guard Soldier Describes Recent Narcotics Seizure

A Texas National Guard squad leader described a recent nighttime seizure of 80 lbs. of narcotics from a residential area of Laredo. Working alongside Border Patrol, soldiers tracked smugglers from Mexico attempting to move narcotics into the U.S.

“This is why we’re here,” said the squad leader.

WATCH: DPS, Federal Partners Find 26 Illegal Immigrants Inside Tanker Trailer

After stopping a commercial vehicle tanker trailer in Laredo, DPS troopers, agents from the DPS Criminal Investigation Division, and federal law enforcement officials discovered 26 illegal immigrants concealed inside the tanker.

The driver and passenger were arrested for human smuggling. In all, 14 males and 12 females from Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador were referred to Border Patrol. 

WATCH: DPS Troopers Catch Deported Felon From Mexico Living In U.S. Illegally

During a traffic stop last week, a DPS trooper discovered the driver had an outstanding warrant for indecency with a child for sexual contact. It was also discovered the driver was a deported felon from Mexico living in the U.S. illegally. He was charged with the outstanding warrant and failure to identify by a fugitive with intent to give false information.

PHOTO: DPS, Federal Law Enforcement Seize 15 Lbs. Of Cocaine

Agents from DPS’ Criminal Investigations Division, working alongside federal law enforcement, seized 15 lbs. of cocaine in Webb County. The drugs were concealed inside a bag. One person was arrested.

WATCH: Narcotics Smuggler Leads DPS Troopers On High-Speed Pursuit

DPS troopers were led on a high-speed pursuit by a narcotics smuggler last week in Cameron County. After attempting to evade multiple police agencies, the smuggler finally came to a complete stop and was apprehended. A total of 10 bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 240 lbs. were discovered inside the vehicle.

The smuggler was charged with evading arrest and possession of marijuana.