200 illegal immigrants arrested in Texas

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), a group of more than 200 illegal migrants were arrested by authorities in Maverick County.

Officers found a total of 204 undocumented migrants, including 57 unaccompanied children ages 8 to 17, said Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesman for DPS-South Texas, in an Oct. 16 post on X. The children carried pieces of paper with addresses in different states in the USA

According to the post, the group included three “special interest immigrants” from Mali. The term refers to individuals from countries or regions believed to have potential ties to terrorism or pose security concerns as determined by U.S. national security authorities.

“The images of unaccompanied children reveal the humanitarian reality of these children’s precarious journey from their home countries to the United States,” Olivarez wrote on X. “Criminal predators exploit these children and use their power and control over them.”

“Our men and women at TXDPS continue to tirelessly provide safety when they encounter children crossing the TX-MX border.”

Illegal migration and border security have become a focus of national concern as the 2024 presidential election approaches on November 5. Polls suggest Americans trust former President Donald Trump more than Vice President Kamala Harris when it comes to immigration policy.

The latest incident came after officials in Texas found a large group of illegal immigrants in Maverick County on October 14. The group included 23 unaccompanied children and 22 special immigrants from Egypt and Turkey.

Maverick County is located in southern Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border, directly across from the city of Piedras Negras.

On October 11, police officers found a group of 165 illegal immigrants in Quemado, just outside Eagle Pass. These included 14 special immigrants from Iran, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as 29 unaccompanied children.

The DPS troopers are involved in Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which focuses on combating illegal immigration, drug and human trafficking.

A press release announcing the operation’s launch in 2021 said it would integrate DPS with the Texas National Guard “to combat the smuggling of people and drugs into Texas.”

Since Operation Lone Star launched in 2021, the multi-agency initiative has resulted in the apprehension of over 521,100 undocumented immigrants and more than 47,400 felony arrests, including over 41,000 felony charges.

According to Abbott’s office, Texas has reduced illegal border crossings into the state by over 86%.

Abbott has deployed barbed wire, buoy barriers and local troops to deter the influx of migrants entering the U.S. through the southern border.