What is Operation Lone Star
On March 6, 2021, Operation Lone Star (OLS) was officially launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “combat the smuggling of people and drugs into Texas” in response to a perceived increase in illegal immigration. On May 31, 2021, Governor Abbott issued a disaster proclamation certifying under Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code that “the surge of individuals unlawfully crossing the Texas-Mexico border posed an ongoing and imminent threat of disaster for a number of Texas counties and for all state agencies affected by this disaster.” This “disaster declaration,” which has been renewed every thirty days since the initial declaration, has enabled Texas to institute a series of actions under OLS aimed at curbing immigration into the state.
Key Components of OLS:
- Deployment of state law enforcement and National Guard to the border to arrest and prosecute migrants on misdemeanor criminal trespass and human smuggling.
- Increased militarization of certain portions of the border and construction and implementation of border barriers.
- Taxpayer funded bussing program that sent recently arrived migrants to “blue” cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC.
Our Role in OLS:
Since our creation, we have participated in the coalitions and working groups that combat Operation Lone Star, empower border communities, and protect the rights of migrants.
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