As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, Texas law enforcement agencies are ramping up efforts at the southern border, anticipating a possible increase in attempted crossings before his administration’s stricter immigration policies take effect.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is holding “mass migration response” exercises to bolster security along key border areas.
Lieutenant Chris Olivarez of the Texas DPS emphasized the department’s proactive approach, stating, “We don’t want to be reactive. We want to be ready for any possible surge.”
These exercises involve visible patrols every few hundred feet along the border, from the Rio Grande Valley to the El Paso sectors, with officers using flashing lights and loudspeakers to deter crossings.
The Spanish-language warning broadcasted from loudspeakers cautions: “Attention, attention. It is illegal to cross here. There is fencing here. This is not a port of entry.”
Despite these preparations, the number of illegal border crossings has recently dropped, with Texas reporting an 86% decrease due to the Biden administration policies’s tightened border policies, which restrict asylum eligibility to individuals who enter through designated ports with valid appointments.
However, cartel activity remains a concern, with recent incidents showcasing the extreme methods used to smuggle people into the U.S., including hiding individuals inside vehicle gas tanks and welding others into the frames of trucks. As authorities continue to monitor the situation, DPS and Border Patrol agents remain on high alert, ready to manage any potential surge in the coming weeks.
