500+ Texas Soldiers Can Arrest Migrants on Border Now
Trump enlists "Operation Lone Star" troops to further secure US Southern border
More than 500 Texas Soldiers assigned to the "Operation Lone Star" border security mission were deputized this week by the Department of Homeland Security / US Border Patrol to enforce US Immigration laws within 100 miles of the border with Mexico - including the authority to arrest migrants who illegally cross the Rio Grande.
Prior to the agreement with the federal government, no Texas troops who witnessed migrants illegally entering the state had the legal right to arrest those they observed breaking federal law. Their mission began primarily as one of deterrence by erecting barriers to prevent the migrants from proceeding further north once they crossed the border at the midline of the Rio Grande.
The Texas troops also began conducting highly visible patrols at known illegal crossing points along the Rio Grande to further deter cartel "guides" from bringing migrants across the border. Over time, the barriers and patrols drastically reduced the numbers of known crossings at these once-busy human smuggling hotspots.
However, these shows of force alone did not fully deter migrants from illegally crossing the river and attempting to move further north into the state. On March 21, 2024, a migrant mob broke through barbed wire barriers in El Paso and clashed with Texas soldiers who attempted to turn them back toward the Rio Grande.
In response, the Texas troops - along with Texas troopers - began conducting massive "shows of force" along the Rio Grande designed to dissuade migrants and their cartel handlers from attempting to overwhelm Texas authorities again.
Although the troops, as well as the Texas State Troopers, did not have the authority to enforce federal immigration law, they still teamed up for joint patrols to arrest migrants who trespassed on private property after illegally entering the state - which is prosecutable under state law.
As arrests through these joint patrols mounted, the Border Patrol - which, under the direction of the Biden Administration, once fought the state's efforts to secure its 1,254-mile-long Southern Border in federal court- considered working with the Texas troops assigned to "Operation Lone Star" as well.
This was a huge turnaround from an infamous incident in 2023 when the Border Patrol cut a barbed wire barrier the state installed on the banks of the Rio Grande, resulting in hundreds of migrants pouring into South Texas:
After Texas filed suit over that, the Biden Administration doubled down on their objections to the state attempting to secure its own borders by using heavy machinery to remove even more of the barbed wire Texas installed along the Rio Grande - allowing hundreds more migrants to enter the state:
But that was then. By the time Trump took office, the Border Patrol had begun cooperating with those Texas troops to secure the border jointly. But still, none of those Texas soldiers had the authority to arrest migrants they witnessed illegally crossing the Rio Grande into their state.
On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, that changed for more than 300 of the many Texas troops assigned to secure its border with Mexico. On that day, the US Border Patrol administered the oath of office and officially deputized the Army National Guardsmen under "Title 8" authority to enforce US Immigration Laws - including the power to arrest migrants who illegally entered their state within 100 miles of its shared border with Mexico.
That ceremony was repeated a day later in Eagle Pass, when the US Border Patrol swore in another 290 Texas troops as immigration law enforcement officers. The event took place in a park along the Rio Grande that was once an illegal crossing hot spot.
So far, almost 600 soldiers out of the 1,500 troops Texas has stationed along its border with Mexico have been given immigration arrest authority. This is a first for the US and could presumably be extended to more border troops if it has the impact supporters believe it will.
Should more Texas troops be given federal immigration arrest authority along its border with Mexico?
Share your opinion in the comments on this article!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
Great coverage as always Jack - thanks for the thorough timeline.
Awesome!!