Gov. Greg Abbott has credited the performance of Operation Lone Star for the decrease in illegal migrant encounters logged at the southern border, but experts on the subject have proposed different reasons for the dip in numbers.
The number of encounters with illegal migrants has dropped significantly in recent months, with fewer than 200,000 reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the last three months.
This decrease follows a record-high number of encounters in December 2023, with CBP stating that officers encountered 301,981 unlawful migrants along the southern border.
Additionally, the Lone Star State accounted for roughly 59% of encounters during FY 2023, with the percentage down to just 43% during the first months of FY 2024, according to The Texas Tribune.
During an interview with Fox 7 Austin, Abbott claimed that Texas has had a “profound impact” on illegal border crossings, citing an average of just five or fewer people crossing into the United States in Eagle Pass since the Texas National Guard took over the site, noting that those persons are getting arrested. “The results are tangible,” Abbott said, explaining that there used to be 3,000-5,000 illegal migrants crossing at Eagle Pass per day.
“Texas, which represents two-thirds of the entire border with Mexico, used to have more than two-thirds of the illegal crossings. Now about three-fourths of the illegal crossings are in California and Arizona and New Mexico, not the State of Texas,” Abbott said, per Fox.
Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott’s office, said in a statement that many illegal migrants have decided to travel further west to cross into the United States, claiming that such decisions are due to “Texas’ efforts to secure the border,” according to The Texas Tribune.
“Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue utilizing every tool and strategy to respond to this Biden-made crisis,” he said.
Operation Lone Star has cost state taxpayers at least $10 billion since it began in March 2021, with one specific initiative costing nearly $150 million.
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