Gov. Abbott: Biden "...aiding and abetting illegal entry into the United States.”

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry.

Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 470,100 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 34,600 criminal arrests, with more than 31,600 felony charges reported. In the fight against fentanyl, Texas law enforcement has seized over 431 million lethal doses of fentanyl during this border mission.

Texas has also bused:

• Over 12,200 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
• Over 16,400 migrants to New York City since August 2022
• Over 10,700 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
• Over 3,100 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
• Over 2,400 migrants to Denver since May 18
• Over 770 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14

Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden Administration's refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Joe Biden's open border policies.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:

WATCH: Governor Abbott Shares Update On Texas' Response To Border Crisis

As an unprecedent influx of illegal immigrants attempt to cross America's southern border, Governor Abbott joined Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo this week to discuss Texas’ ongoing response efforts. The Governor explained that Texas is the only state in American history that has repelled illegal immigrants, while President Biden continues to obstruct our state’s historic efforts.                     

“[The border crisis] is chaos, it’s a catastrophe, and it’s a byproduct of Joe Biden’s open border policies,” said Governor Abbott. “Last year was an all-time record of illegal crossings. This year will set another all-time record of illegal crossings. Americans have had it. Texas is stepping up to do everything we can by putting up these razor wire border barriers to prevent people from coming in only to have President Biden’s staff cut those razor wires and allow people to illegally enter our country.”

WATCH: Governor Abbott Highlights Fallout From President Biden’s Border Crisis

This week, Governor Abbott joined Fox and Friends to highlight the devastating fallout from President Biden’s continued refusal to secure America’s southern border. With our state on the frontlines of the escalating border crisis, the Governor explained that Texas has bused over 45,000 migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities like New York City, which is only a fraction of what the Biden Administration has sent to these same cities.

“If the people in New York City have a problem with all the migrants they’re having to house, they need to blame Joe Biden,” said Governor Abbott. “The National Guard put up this concertina razor wire to prevent people from coming across into the state of Texas, and it was effective. The Biden Administration’s Border Patrol cut that razor wire, then pulled it open and let the migrants through.”

WATCH: Governor Abbott Points Out Biden Administration Hypocrisy Over Border

Yesterday, Governor Abbott joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity to emphasize the hypocrisy of the Biden Administration and sanctuary city Mayors who now complain about receiving a fraction of the migrants Texas has to deal with every day. The Governor also highlighted how Texas’ border security response like installing miles of razor wire was effectively deterring illegal immigration but President Biden’s Border Patrol cut through that wire, as the federal government continues to obstruct Texas’ efforts to secure the border.

“What we’ve seen is when Democrats have to face up to the reality of what Texas has to deal with every single day, they adopt the same approach Texas has,” said Governor Abbott. “We need the President to start enforcing the immigration laws of America, period. They are aiding and abetting illegal entry into the United States.”