Texas Continues to Resist Illegal Immigration Efforts
By Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
Continued efforts to resist illegal border crossings in Texas are leading to increased entries in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, according to officials in the Lone Star State.
The area of resistance consists of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which mobilizes the National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety officers to focus on preventing illegal entry and arrest those who are successful.
The purpose of these missions is to block illegal entry into Texas and to impose consequences on those who manage to bypass the defenses, which Governor Abbot, supported by the state legislature, has expressed.
Mike Banks, border czar in Texas, stated “Illegal entry in Texas has consequences,” and noted that cartels and criminal organizations are relocating their smuggling operations to other states due to Texas’ resistance.
Under Banks’ direction, Texas has established a “PDI strategy” consisting of position, deter, and interdict, in an attempt to reduce the illegal border crossings. Banks pointed out that Texas accounts for 30% of the illegal border crossings, with the remaining 70% being directed toward Arizona, California, and New Mexico.
Texas’ Location and Number of CBP Sectors
Texas shares a 1,254-mile-long border with Mexico, accounting for 64% of the total, while California and Arizona have two Border Patrol sectors each and New Mexico has none.
Despite New Mexico’s lack of CBP sectors, approximately 40% of illegal entries in the El Paso Sector in West Texas are from New Mexico.
The Increase in Illegal Entries
Given Border Patrol’s reported data, illegal entries have substantially increased in Arizona and California, while Texas has experienced a decline. In November 2023, the Tucson sector recorded 64,637 apprehensions, which increased to 80,184 the following month before dropping to 50,565 in January.
In a similar fashion, the San Diego sector apprehended 31,164 individuals in November, compared to 24,709 in January. In contrast, Texas’ El Paso sector saw a drop in apprehensions from 33,966 to 17,515 during the same period.
From Q1 FY23 to Q1 FY24, apprehensions in the El Paso sector were down by over 50%, with similar downward trends in other Texas sectors. This decline stands in contrast to a national increase, which reached record highs.
Banks’ Strategy to Curb Illegal Entries
Banks stressed that Texas intends to maintain control over the areas it has already secured and expand to other locations. The ultimate goal is to eliminate illegal border crossings into Texas altogether.
This article is syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
