According to state military officials, at least 17 Texas National Guard members have lost their lives while deployed at the southern border since 2021.
During a hearing last week of the Texas House Committee on Defense and Veterans’ Affairs, the number of troops who have lost their lives in relation to Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star was disclosed. This information was shared despite the Texas Military Department’s reluctance to openly discuss the troops deployed at the border.
Troop fatalities have resulted from various incidents. These cases include one soldier who succumbed to a medical emergency, another who was accidentally shot, and two others who lost their lives in a traffic accident – one in the actual crash and the other by suicide shortly after. Additionally, the report states that at least four soldiers assigned at the border have died by suicide.
During the first year of Gov. Abbott’s Operation Lone Star mission, the number of Texas National Guard members deployed at the border reached approximately 10,000, marking a peak in troop levels.
Service members have been expressing their dissatisfaction with various aspects of their military experience since March 2021. They have been highlighting issues like subpar living conditions, insufficient training and equipment, difficulties in receiving timely payment, and a general lack of purpose. Tragically, these problems have even resulted in the loss of lives among National Guard members.
In 2022, a brave soldier named Spc. Bishop Evans lost his life while attempting to rescue migrants who were attempting to cross the border through the Rio Grande. Without a proper flotation device, Evans fearlessly jumped into the water to save them.
Troops deployed at the border have faced numerous challenges since being mobilized, with the lack of proper equipment being just one of the factors contributing to tragedies like Evans’ death. These dedicated soldiers have encountered a multitude of issues, including problems with their pay, shortages of critical equipment, precarious living conditions, and a sense of being underutilized.
After Evans passed away, Texas enacted the Bishop Evans Act in 2023. This legislation introduced the provision of a death benefit, which was previously unavailable to Guard members. Prior to this law, only those on a federal mission were eligible for compensation in the event of death while deployed, leaving the families of other Guard members without financial support.
The Bishop Evans Act has expanded the scope of employees eligible for beneficiary status to include Guard members participating in state missions like Operation Lone Star. As a result, Guard members now have the opportunity to receive a lump sum payment of $500,000 from the Employees Retirement System.
The families of those who lost their lives during Operation Lone Star before the new bill took effect will receive financial support from the law in the form of $2 million for a crime victim compensation fund.
The border mission, which has been ongoing for over three years, has not revealed any information regarding its duration or the number of troops involved. Both the Guard and the governor’s office have remained silent on these details.
According to recent statistics released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agents detained 56,400 migrants last month, marking the lowest number since September 2020. Governor Abbott attributes this decline in border crossings to his operation, which has resulted in the apprehension of over half a million migrants and 46,000 criminal arrests.
