Valley officials discuss effectiveness of Operation Lone Star
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The future of Operation Lone Star is expected to be discussed in the new legislature.
One state lawmaker says OLS is crowding local jails with inmates charged with low level crimes. But with the end of Title 42 on the way, the McAllen mayor says Gov. Greg Abbott’s border initiative is needed now more than ever.
Billions of dollars have been spent on the joint mission between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department along the southern border, and disagreement continues over the effectiveness of the overall mission.
“We've got a bunch of troopers pulling people over, and they're popping you for DWI, and they are popping you for possession of marijuana—small, low level misdemeanor offenses,” state Representative Terry Canales said. “Because of the increased presence of law enforcement, because of the lone star or border war, what we've seen is an uptick in misdemeanor offenses."
With more than 2 million border crossings in the last fiscal year — the highest in history — and the upcoming end of Title 42, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says OLS is needed now more than ever.
“The governor is doing something that the federal government should be doing," Villalobos said. “We also have economic impact where, as the Valley has always been the redheaded stepchild, we have an impact that’s positive because of Operation Lone Star."
Canales said he worries local arrests are affecting how much taxpayers are paying to support local jails.
Title 42 is set to end Wednesday, Dec. 21.
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