Gov. Abbott says Migrant Buses are Providing “Much-needed Relief” to Border Communities

AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – The State of Texas continues working to stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people across the southern border.

According to Governor Greg Abbott, since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to more than 302,600 migrant apprehensions and more than 19,700 criminal arrests, with more than 17,200 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, DPS has seized over 340.5 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.

Abbott, last week, announced that his Public Safety Office, in conjunction with DPS, has increased the reward amount of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification of stash houses used in transnational criminal activity. The Texas Stash House Program encourages Texans to help combat transnational crime by anonymously reporting information on stash houses used to facilitate human trafficking, drug smuggling, and smuggling of people.

“As President Biden’s dangerous open border policies continue to allow cartels and other criminal organizations to operate freely in our communities, it is more important than ever that Texans step up and report suspicious activity,” said Governor Abbott. “These stash houses contain people or drugs that may have otherwise made their way across Texas and the nation because of the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border.”

Texas has also bused over 7,900 migrants to our nation’s capital since April and over 2,200 migrants to New York City since August 5. Over the last two weeks, more than 300 migrants from Texas have arrived in Chicago. Governor Abbott said that the busing mission is providing “much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities.”