Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Photo: Click to Houston

XINHUA

Texas Governor Greg Abbott over the weekend urged the U.S. federal government to take action to end the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

During a press conference in Weslaco near the U.S.-Mexico border, the governor called on U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to take “immediate action” to end the humanitarian crisis.

“Operation Lone Star is delivering results to keep our communities safe, but it is also exposing the continued failures of the Biden administration to secure the border,” said Abbott.

“It is past time for the federal government to step up and secure the border, and I am urging the Biden administration to take action now to save lives and get this crisis under control.”

Abbott also provided an update on the state’s response to the border crisis through Operation Lone Star.

Abbott said that since the launch of Operation Lone Star on March 4, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has made 598 criminal arrests and made over 16,000 referrals of illegal immigrants to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The operation has also led to the seizure of 14 pounds of cocaine, 23 fire arms and millions of dollars in currency, and the arrests of nine gang members involved in the movement of this contraband, according to the governor.

Abbott likewise highlighted the rise in violence at the border, detailing stories of abuse, assault, rape and attempted murder of migrants at the hands of smugglers and cartel members.

Texas has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis, with the Border Patrol arresting more than 1,200 undocumented immigrants a day in the Rio Grande Valley alone, according to Customs and Border Protection, the highest number in more than 15 years.

…April 5, 2021