In a bold move to address the escalating migrant crisis, Texas is considering a plan to transport migrants directly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities for expedited processing and potential deportation, as per media reports.
This strategy marks a significant shift from the state's existing program under Operation Lone Star, which has seen thousands of migrants transported to sanctuary cities.
According to Fox News, the proposal is still pending approval from Governor Greg Abbott. "We are always going to be involved in border security so long as were a border state," a Texas government source told the New York Post. "We spent a lot of taxpayer money to have the level of deterrent that we have on the border, and we cant just walk away."
Governor Abbott has been notably proactive in tackling illegal immigration, using the transportation of migrants to blue cities as a means to highlight the border crisis. The proposed plan involves chartering buses from border cities to federal detention centers to expedite the processing of migrants by ICE agents.
The Lone Star State has been locked in a legal battle with the Biden administration over its efforts to curb illegal immigration. Recently, an appeals court ruled in favor of Texas, affirming its right to construct a razor wire border wall to deter migrants. In addition, Texas officials have offered land to the incoming Trump administration for the construction of deportation centers to house illegal immigrant criminals.
"My office has identified several of our properties and is standing by ready to make this happen on Day One of the Trump presidency," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham stated during a border visit on Tuesday.
The state's authorities have also raised concerns about unaccompanied migrant children found near the border. Recently, a 10-year-old boy from El Salvador was discovered by state troopers in Maverick County, Texas, after being abandoned by a human smuggler. The boy, who was in possession of a cellphone and visibly distressed, informed the officers that his parents were already in the U.S.
Similarly, a 2-year-old girl from El Salvador was found alone, clutching a piece of paper with a phone number and her name. She too claimed that her parents were in the U.S.
On the same day, state troopers encountered a group of 211 illegal immigrants, including 60 unaccompanied children aged between 2 and 17, and six special interest immigrants from Mali and Angola in Maverick County.
"Regardless of political views, it is unacceptable for any child to be exposed to dangerous criminal trafficking networks," Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez stated. "With a record number of unaccompanied children and hundreds of thousands missing, there is no one ensuring the safety & security of these children except for the men & women who are on the frontlines daily."
Olivarez further emphasized the grim reality that many children are exploited and trafficked, often disappearing without a trace. This underscores the urgent need for effective border security measures to protect these vulnerable individuals.
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