Texas Governor Greg Abbott shared footage on Friday of construction crews using concrete to "strengthen" his state's border wall between the United States and Mexico.
Abbott, a Republican, has aggressively pursued methods to curb illegal immigration into Texas since launching his administration's initiative, Operation Lone Star. The video shared to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday showed construction on Texas' border wall near Maverick County, about 130 miles southwest of San Antonio.
"The Texas wall will bolster border security and hold the line against President [Joe] Biden's border crisis," Abbott wrote in his post. The governor has repeatedly bashed White House policies on immigration, accusing Biden of having an "open border."
In a separate post to X, Abbott also praised Texas officials for using "drone technology to thwart illegal crossings along our southern border." According to a release from the governor's office, a drone operator in Operation Lone Star spotted two drug smugglers attempting to cross into the U.S. with "large plastic-wrapped packages" earlier this week. State law enforcement seized 24 pounds of narcotics, which Abbott's office estimated carried a price tag of $60,000.
"When Texas National Guard soldiers working on Operation Lone Star responded, both suspects fled in a vehicle waiting nearby," the release said. "DPS [Department of Public Safety] troopers pursed the vehicle and eventually crashed. One suspect was arrested and the other fled back to Mexico."
Four "illegal immigrants" were also arrested after being spotted by a Texas National Guard soldier who was using drone technology, read the release. Abbott's office said they were charged with criminal trespassing.
"The Texas National Guard continues to work alongside state and local law enforcement partners to prevent, deter, and repel transnational criminal activity and illegal crossings along the Texas-Mexico border," the release read.
Newsweek reached out to Abbott's office for additional comment on Friday.
Several of Abbott's methods to curb migration have been denounced by Democrats and immigration advocates, who say that some of Texas' infrastructure puts migrants in harm's way. The Biden administration sued Texas earlier this year, seeking to remove Abbott's use of razor wire and a floating buoy barrier along the Rio Grande as part of his Operation Lone Star. A U.S. appeals court heard arguments on the case Wednesday.
The White House has also sought to block a bill signed by Abbott that would authorize Texas law enforcement to arrest, detain and deport individuals accused of crossing into the U.S. illegally. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously heard arguments from the federal government and Texas officials over whether a lower court's block of the controversial bill can remain in play. The panel has yet to issue a ruling.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
fairness meter
To Rate This Article
About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
