Operation Lone Star is an over $4 billion enforcement operation that targets our migrant community for arrest, jail, and deportation. Created by Gov. Greg Abbott, the illegal and discriminatory scheme is designed to criminalize and rapidly deport migrants, many of whom are our coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family seeking safety in the U.S.
Lone Star violates the Constitution, promotes racial profiling, fuels the mass incarceration of people of color, and encourages white supremacy rhetoric that is harmful to ALL Texans.
THE FACTS
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Draining more than $4 billion of Texas taxpayer dollars (at a cost to taxpayers of more than $2.5 million a week)
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At least 160,000 border apprehensions of those seeking safety in the U.S.
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At least 6,000 people have been criminalized and prosecuted for bogus “trespassing”charges.
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At least 10,000 Texas law enforcement officials deployed, including the Texas National Guard, state troopers and local sheriff’s
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53 participating counties in a disaster declaration for border and non-border areas
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Two state prisons have been repurposed to incarcerate migrant communities: the Dolph Briscoe Unit and Segovia Unit.
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Two new booking facilities to process people in Val Verde and Jim Hogg counties.
RESOURCES
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Op-Ed for In These Times by Latino Justice PRLDEF
Public Comment for the Texas Senate Border Committee on Operation Lone Star
Statement by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center calling on DHS and the Biden Administration to cut the ties with Operation Lone Star
Fact Sheet by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Statement by Human Rights Watch denouncing Texas assault on migrants
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties complaint sent to the Department of Homeland Security
Legal complaint by ACLU and Texas Civil Rights Project sent to the Department of Justice
14 public defender offices from across the country urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Operation Lonestar
Legal complaints submitted to the Department of Justice
100 organizations ask DOJ to investigate Operation Lonestar
Fact sheet by Just Futures Law
Law professors complaint to DOJ
Letter from 50 Texas Representatives and MALC demanding investigation into Operation Lonestar
Letter led by Rep. Veronica Escobar demanding an investigation into Operation Lonestar
Letter led by Rep. Joaquin Castro demanding an investigation into Operation Lonestar
Attorney and directly impacted people testimonies by Grassroots Leadership
Video by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Press conference by Texas Civil Rights Project
Webinar by ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice
66 non-profit organizations, advocates, and attorneys demand that Union Pacific end its collaboration with Operation Lonestar
Press release by Human Rights Watch denouncing Operation Lonestar
Ethics complaint against Judge Tully Shahan for his abuses pursuant to Operation Lonestar by Texas Fair Defense Project
