Texas DPS arrests 204 undocumented immigrants, including 57 unaccompanied children aged from 8 to 17
Texas – Over 200 migrants were caught in Maverick County during a major Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) enforcement operation as border security gets tighter in reaction to continuous migration challenges. Including 204 undocumented immigrants, the group was intercepted in a coordinated effort under Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, meant to reduce illegal immigration and fight drug trafficking operations.
Among those arrested, the DPS revealed, 57 unaccompanied young people ranging in age from 8 to 17. Found without guardians, these young immigrants were carrying written notes identifying addresses in other U.S. states, implying attempts to join family members or sponsors already living here.
“Troopers apprehended a group of 204 illegal immigrants in Maverick County. Among the group were 57 unaccompanied children, ages 8 – 17. The children had pieces of paper with addresses to various states,” stated Lieutenant Chris Olivarez, spokesperson for the DPS in South Texas, in a post on X, the social media network previously known as Twitter.
“The images of unaccompanied children show the humanitarian reality of the precarious journey these children make from their home countries to the US. Criminal predators exploit these children & leverage their power & control over them. Our men & women of TXDPS remain steadfast in ensuring safety & security when they encounter children crossing the TX-MX border,” Olivarez added.
The operation also revealed the detention of three Mali citizens identified as “special-interest immigrants”. U.S. security officials classify migrants from nations with potential security concerns or those with ties to terrorism under this label.
This latest increase in immigration concerns is in line with a general pattern in the area. Days before this event, another group—including numerous migrants from Egypt and Turkey—also categorized as special-interest—was arrested close to the border.
Border enforcement operations now center Maverick County, right across from Piedras Negras in Mexico. DPS officials earlier in the month found 165 migrants close to Quemado, a town near Eagle Pass. Along with 29 unaccompanied children, this group contained immigrants from Iran, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The growing number of arrests corresponds with a period of time when immigration policy is under more and more importance in preparation for the presidential elections in 2024. Given immigration as a major concern, public opinion polls reveal a split among Americans, with a considerable section expressing more confidence in former President Donald Trump’s approach than in Vice President Kamala Harris’s approaches on these issues.
Initiated by Governor Abbott, Operation Lone Star is still pillar of Texas’s approach to handle border security. Along with aiming to destroy the criminal cartels endangering migrant safety and creating security threats to the area, the program targets unlawful crossings.
The efforts of DPS and other agencies in handling the situation at the border are crucial in determining the state’s reaction to an always changing challenge as the political disputes get more heated and the humanitarian consequences of migration keep developing.