Texas is considering a new plan to bus migrants directly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation, a source told the New York Post. This plan would be a change from the current Operation Lone Star program that buses migrants to sanctuary cities. Governor Greg Abbott has not yet approved this new proposal. Texas officials are committed to border security and are willing to spend taxpayer money to maintain a strong deterrent at the border.
Abbott has been proactive in addressing illegal immigration by bussing migrants to blue cities to draw attention to the border crisis. Under the potential plan, Texas would charter buses from border cities to transport migrants to federal detention centers for processing by ICE agents. The state has been in a legal battle with the Biden administration over immigration policies, and a recent appeals court ruling allowed Texas to build a razor wire border wall.
Additionally, Texas officials have offered land to the incoming Trump administration to construct deportation centers for holding illegal immigrant criminals. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham expressed readiness to facilitate this process on the first day of the Trump presidency. Authorities have also encountered unaccompanied migrant children near the border, highlighting the dangers they face from human smugglers and criminal networks.
Recently, a 10-year-old boy from El Salvador was found by state troopers in Maverick County, Texas, after being abandoned by a human smuggler. The boy, who was crying and holding a cellphone, mentioned that his parents were in the U.S. Similarly, a 2-year-old girl from El Salvador was discovered by troopers with a piece of paper containing a phone number and her name. She indicated that her parents were also in the U.S. In another incident, troopers encountered a group of 211 illegal immigrants, including 60 unaccompanied children and special interest immigrants from Mali and Angola.
Despite political differences, authorities emphasized the need to protect vulnerable children from criminal exploitation within trafficking networks. The safety and security of unaccompanied children remain a significant concern, especially with the risk of exploitation and trafficking. Frontline workers play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of these children and preventing them from falling victim to dangerous circumstances.
