A group of more than 200 illegal migrants has been apprehended in Maverick County by authorities, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Troopers found a total of 204 undocumented migrants, including 57 unaccompanied children aged 8 to 17, Lieutenant Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for the DPS-South Texas, said in a post on X dated October 16. The children were carrying pieces of paper with addresses in different states in the U.S.
There were three “special-interest immigrants” in the group from Mali, according to the post. The term refers to individuals from countries or regions that are considered to have potential links to terrorism, or pose security concerns, as identified by U.S. national security agencies.
Texas officials monitor a migrant encampment near the Sacred Heart Church in downtown El Paso, Texas, on May 9, 2023. A group of over 200 illegal migrants was apprehended in Maverick County. Texas officials monitor a migrant encampment near the Sacred Heart Church in downtown El Paso, Texas, on May 9, 2023. A group of over 200 illegal migrants was apprehended in Maverick County. AFP via Getty Images/Patrick T. Fallon
“The images of unaccompanied children show the humanitarian reality of the precarious journey these children make from their home countries to the U.S.,” Olivarez wrote on X. “Criminal predators exploit these children and leverage their power and control over them.
“Our men and women of TXDPS remain steadfast in ensuring safety and security when they encounter children crossing the TX-MX border.”
Illegal migration and border security have been thrust into the national spotlight as the 2024 presidential election looms on November 5. Polls suggest Americans trust former president Donald Trump more than Vice President Kamala Harris on matters concerning immigration policy.
The latest incident comes after officials in Texas found a large group of illegal immigrants in Maverick County on October 14. The group included 23 unaccompanied children and 22 special interest immigrants from Egypt and Turkey.
Maverick County is located in South Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border, directly across from the city of Piedras Negras.
On October 11, troopers found a group of 165 illegal immigrants in Quemado, just outside of Eagle Pass. This included 14 special interest immigrants from Iran, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 29 unaccompanied children.
The DPS troopers are involved in Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which focuses on combating undocumented immigration as well as drug and human trafficking.
A press release when the operation was launched in 2021 said it would integrate the DPS with the Texas National Guard “to combat the smuggling of people and drugs into Texas.”
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star in 2021, the multi-agency initiative has resulted in the apprehension of over 521,100 undocumented immigrants and more than 47,400 criminal arrests, including over 41,000 felony charges.
According to the office of Abbott, Texas has cut illegal crossings into the state by over 86%.
Abbott has used razor wire, buoy barriers and local troops to deter the influx of migrants entering the U.S. from the southern border.
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