(The Center Square) – As single, young, military-age men continue to enter Texas illegally at the southern border, many commit crimes as they head north attempting to evade capture by law enforcement, impacting residents of rural Texas counties, authorities say.
On Christmas Eve night, Kinney County residents were sent a text alert after a pursuit by law enforcement turned into a shooting. It stated, “Texas DPS, Kinney County Sheriff’s deputies and Border Patrol will remain in the area searching for the suspects. A large perimeter has been set and several groups of officers are on the ground searching for the suspects.
“Law enforcement is considering the suspects to be armed and dangerous. Keep all doors locked and secure. Call 911 if you see any suspicious persons. Area of concern is Fort Clark Springs and the surrounding area to include the City of Brackettville. Total at large is 5.”
The suspects were never caught.
Residents receive text alerts every time a high-speed pursuit occurs, Kinney County Sheriff’s office spokesman Matt Benacci told The Center Square. They primarily occur on Highway 90 through the small town of Brackettville heading in either direction to Uvalde County in the east or to Val Verde in the west.
“The type of crimes being committed, the increased violence, the willingness to risk dangerous encounters with law enforcement shows a more sophisticated, hardened criminal who may be higher up on the cartel food chain and doesn’t want to get caught,” Benacci said. “It’s different than others who respond to a social media ad hoping to earn a few thousand dollars to transport people north who get caught and try to get away.”
In neighboring Edwards County to the north, resident Deborah Douglas shared a video with The Center Square of a group of men also believed to be in Texas illegally who tried to break into her home. When they couldn’t break in, they broke into her neighbor’s house, she said. They also were never caught.
The judges of Kinney and Edwards counties were among the first to declare an invasion at the Texas-Mexico border in July. Since then, the judges and commissioners of at least 40 counties have declared an invasion.
Douglas told The Center Square she can’t go out on the front porch and have a cup of coffee without having her gun with her at her home in Edwards County.
“I can’t have my granddaughter outside alone playing,” she added, “because I’m afraid someone may kidnap her. Out here we are constantly looking over our shoulder, looking under bushes, listening to every sound, because we don’t know who might come on our property.
“It’s not safe to be anywhere by yourself out here,” she added. But it’s also not safe in Houston where she also lives and carries a gun inside her home, she told The Center Square. Houston, a primary destination for cartels, has seen increased violence as the largest city closest to the southern border.
“I’m worried about my children and grandchildren,” Douglas said. “Texas is going to become the new Mexico and it will be run by the cartels if [President Joe] Biden doesn’t shut down the border. He took an oath to defend the constitution and our laws, but instead opened the border to murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and known terrorists.”
“Gov. [Greg] Abbott needs to shut down the border – and he can do it,” she said.
In Real County, neighboring Edwards to the east, the sheriff’s office also sends alerts to residents. One recent alert told those in the Camp Wood area to be on alert after a vehicle pursuit and bailout. One “coyote was in custody,” the alert said, but “12-13 illegals [were in] the bush.”
“Be alert – lock your vehicles – notify law enforcement if illegals are observed in your area,” the alert warned.
Abbott has called on Biden to secure the border. The president has claimed the border is secure and has expressed no interest in visiting it. Because of his “refusal to do his job,” Abbott said, he launched Texas’ border security mission, Operation Lone Star, in March 2021. Since then, officers have apprehended more than 336,000 foreign nationals and made over 23,000 criminal arrests with over 20,000 felony charges reported as of Dec. 29.
Through OLS, more than 1,600 state troopers are working with hundreds of officers from local sheriff’s offices and police departments; at least 6,128 Texas National Guard members have been stationed at the border since last November, with another 3,700 Guardsmen and women deployed elsewhere.
Texas, which shares the longest border with Mexico of 1,254 miles, has had the lion’s share of illegal entries. In fiscal 2022, nearly 1.8 million people from over 150 countries were apprehended or evaded law enforcement, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data obtained by The Center Square from a Border Patrol agent.
This is over half of the more than 3.3 million illegal entries reported by Border Patrol for all nine southwest border sectors in the fiscal year.
Several hours to the east in rural Goliad County, law enforcement officers are finding stash houses used on private property and apprehending cartel and gang operatives.
OLS Task Force Commander John Davis says they are focused on catching individuals smuggling people, drugs and guns, illegal firearms, stolen vehicles and couriers of cash gained from illegal activities.
Cartels “will come and set up in your back yard if you’re not fighting them. If you show no resistance to their efforts they will move into your area,” he said.
“This may not be a declared war,” Davis said, “but it’s a war. I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this, but we get beat on a daily basis.
“We can’t stop everyone heading north to Houston. We can’t secure the border. We can’t stop the floodgates of illegal immigration. But we are holding the line doing our part.”
This brings out a point of immense concern—the criminal elements in these border crossings are going to start flexing their muscle after awhile because they see how lax the policies are in keeping them at bay. This will grow into a big problem unless that border is brought under control.
AND TIL the locals in Texas, start using their 2a rights, and castle doctrine, and start DROPPING THESE CROOKS like a bad habit, it will just keep GETTING WORSE.
Clearly, clearly it appears that the Democrat woke policies of defunding the police was a planned prelude to an illegal immigrant invasion they never wanted to ever control. Pure Alinsky rules for radicals of overwhelming the system to the point that the system breaks, and the rebellion succeeds.
DESTRUCTION Of this nation is their end goal.
Can anyone explain why the corrupt puppet president Joe Biden and the disgraceful VP Kamala Harris are not impeached and put in prison for their deliberate violations of our U.S. Constitution and immigration laws?
U.S. Constitution article 4, section 4
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Valance.
The judges of Kinney and Edwards counties were among the first to declare an invasion at the Texas-Mexico border in July. Since then, the judges and commissioners of at least 40 counties have declared an invasion.
More than 3.3 million illegal entries (invasion) reported by Border Patrol for all nine southwest border sectors in the fiscal year 2022 and 2.1 million illegal entries in year 2021, that is 5.4 illegal immigrants the treasonous Joe Biden administration has encouraged and supported in just two years with YOUR tax money. Do you know how much it cost to support 5.4 million illegal immigrants?? 🙁 🙁 🙁
The reason is that the Republicans don’t have the backbone to do anything about it! They talk and talk, but, don’t do anything meaningful. We should send buckets of water to congressional Republicans and have them sit in them until they swell up, enough to do the job they were elected to do. Yes, I am a American Republican, but am not impressed with the Republican party as a whole.
Exatamundo. WE HAVE too many cowards, and rinos in the GOP.. THAT IS WHY NO ONE Is ever going to even SPEAK about possible impeachment on joe or kamletoe..
The word violence is misspelled above. A valance is part of a window treatment. That said, I decided to watch, for the second time, the 1980 movie Borderline starring Charles Bronson. At the time this movie was made they got everything pretty much spot on. It depicts illegal immigration at that time, and even includes a scene with criminals robbing and raping illegals on our side of the border. San Diego had a special police task force back then to deal with these crimes, but that was not included in the movie. I’m mentioning this because it wouldn’t hurt a thing to make this movie mandatory viewing for every politician serving at our pleasure. As for actually stopping this invasion, it will probably take what ever other country in the world would use; the military being deployed the length of the border. Customs and Border Protection does not have the equipment nor the manpower to stop this full-on invasion. Mexico also needs to be dealt with by cutting off any aid being given to them, all of their assets being seized and money transfers being disallowed to Mexico until such time that they deal with the cartels and illegals on their side of the border.
UNLESS the military gets green lit to SHOOT though, just deploying them, imo won;t do jack..
>> Can anyone explain why the corrupt puppet president Joe Biden and the disgraceful VP Kamala Harris are not impeached <<
Simple; Republicans don't want to stir up the corruption. Maybe they're just waiting for their turn at the trough? I hate to think that's the case, but one never knows. " Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? *** ******* knows."
Remember orange man bad who tried to put an end to these illegal crossings? The dems, rino’s and msm made him the bad guy. Strange, and now that almost 6 million in two years have crossed over people are wondering why crime is up. Hmmm, IMO
In Texas I recommend backing away 1/2 mile from the Border. This is going to be called crazy or radical, but run an 8 foot high chain link fence the length of the border and cover it with razor wire., and put touch sensors on the fence. Then reinstate F Company of the Texas Rangers, staffed by Special Operations Members and Marines that have left the service due to the Biden Tyranny ignorance. During the Frontier Days F Company was commissioned to enforce the law along the Southern part of Texas. Time to take as page out of history. Equip these people with weapons they are familiar with and fast attack vehicles and form them into a rapid deployment force, patrolling the fence zone. We can’t count on the Biden Tyranny to protect us, so it fall to the states.
Excellent Idea! America is being invaded both externally and internally. Unfortunately the “protectors” of our freedoms have become the suppressors of our freedoms.
Invade Mexico. Set up a three-mile buffer zone mined with air dropped or artillery launched mines, both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines. Reseed as necessary.
OR just start using those big mining diggers, to DIG A 100 meter deep, 100 feet wide DITCH, the entire length of it, TOPPED with 40ft or higher walls.. WITH ARMED and manned guard towers every 400 yards or so…
Oh, but the “diversity” is strengthening and enriching America, according to the Dumbocrats.
ITS enriching their voter rolls, that’s for certain!
And that’s the point; more Dem voters.
Which is why it’s often said, IF ILLEGALS voted republican even 50% of the time, the left would be first in line, to build that wall.