Texas Border Security Measures Successfully Redirecting Migrant Crossings, Influencing National Apprehension Trends

In an important announcement from the southern U.S. border, Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office has declared that Operation Lone Star, the state’s border security operation, is effectively rerouting migrant border crossings to other states, including those along the U.S.-Canada border. Governor Abbott launched this operation in March 2021 to address what he sees as dangerous gaps resulting from President Biden’s open border policies.

According to a recent report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there has been a decline in migrant apprehensions in Texas-based border sectors, while other sectors such as Tucson, Miami, and areas along the Canadian border have seen an increase. Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary to Governor Abbott, emphasized that while states like Arizona are following President Biden’s lead and allowing more migrants into the country, Texas is holding the line.

The CBP’s June Nationwide Encounters Report reveals that apprehensions of migrants crossing the border between ports of entry in the five Texas-based border sectors have dropped by nearly 11.33 percent compared to the same period last year. In contrast, apprehensions in the Tucson Sector have increased by over 20 percent. Mahaleris argues that this rise in apprehensions in states west of Texas is due to their effective deterrence strategies, which prompt migrants to choose to illegally cross in states that are more welcoming.

It is worth noting that the Tucson Sector is the only non-Texas-based southwest border sector that has seen an increase in migrant apprehensions this year compared to last year. In FY23, there were 234,667 migrant apprehensions in this sector, compared to 195,115 in the same period of FY22. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council points out that migrants entering the Tucson Sector typically try to avoid arrest, unlike in other southwest border sectors, where migrants often surrender to make asylum claims.

In the five Texas-based border sectors, agents apprehended just over one million migrants during the first nine months of FY22. This year, the apprehension of nearly 908,000 migrants represents an 11 percent decrease. These statistics suggest that migrants have shifted their crossing attempts from Texas to other areas.

This shift is evident along the U.S.-Canada border, where CBP reports a staggering 417 percent increase in apprehensions compared to the same period last year. The Swanton Sector alone has experienced a 777 percent increase. Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia reveals that his agents have arrested more migrants in less than ten months than in the previous eight years combined. Nearly half of the migrants apprehended in this sector, which covers Vermont, New Hampshire, and the eastern New York border, were reported to be Mexican nationals.

Similarly, agents in the Miami Sector have reported an increase in migrant apprehensions. So far this fiscal year, they have apprehended 5,523 migrants, a 153 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Asked about the reasons for migrants shifting from Texas to Arizona and the Northern border, CBP responded that they analyze and track illicit migration and drug trafficking trends, and adjust their enforcement strategies, resources, and personnel accordingly.

Meanwhile, Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers, under Operation Lone Star, have apprehended over 393,000 illegal immigrants, repelled more than 49,000, seized over 422 million lethal doses of fentanyl, confiscated over 8,000 weapons, and arrested over 31,000 criminals. The Governor’s office credits these accomplishments to the initiative and argues that without it, the figures could have been significantly higher due to the current administration’s open border policies.

Governor Abbott has made it clear that until President Biden steps up and fulfills his responsibilities, Texas will continue to use every tool and strategy available to address the border crisis. These statements, combined with the observed trends, highlight the ongoing tensions and complexities associated with border security and immigration policies, not only in Texas but across the United States. The intersection of federal, state, and local interests continues to shape the dynamics of border security and immigration management.