Castro Attacks Operation Lone Star

Texas Representative Joaquin Castro (D) recently attacked Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) for his immigration-focused program, “Operation Lone Star”.

In a tweet, Rep. Castro lambasted the border policy by questioning its authenticity and highlighting the danger it posed toward migrant workers.

“.@GovAbbott's Operation Lone Star is nothing but a deadly political stunt,” claimed Rep. Castro.

“From death traps in the Rio Grande to these dangerous high-speed pursuits, Operation Lone Star is turning border communities into war zones and putting Texas families in danger.”

Earlier in the year, Gov. Abbott faced heavy scrutiny for implementing floating marine barriers in the Rio Grande. The governor stated that the barriers would deter migrants, but they instead were criticized for what many saw as inhumane treatment of human beings.

Now, months later Operation Lone Star is stated to have caused crashes that killed 74 people and injured 189 people.

According to Norma Herrera, a Texas-based consultant to Human Rights Watch, “Operation Lone Star puts undue pressure on law enforcement to chase cars, sometimes with very little basis, resulting in deaths of drivers, passengers, and even bystanders.”

“Our review of the cases over 29 months identified at least 7 bystanders killed in these car crashes, including a 7-year-old girl out to get ice cream with her grandmother.”

Gov. Abbott has continued to taut Operation Lone Star’s progress and construction of border walls, nonetheless.

“Texas border wall construction is ongoing in Maverick County. Texas will continue to build additional border wall and take historic action through #OperationLoneStar until Biden secures the border.”

Despite border security being a bipartisan issue, Republicans and Democrats have often disagreed on how to pass legislation such as the most recent continuing resolution.

Texas Representative Pete Sessions (R) believed that the appropriations bill should have included funding for policies such as "Remain in Mexico" and support for law enforcement at the border.

Sessions continued, emphasizing that any future resolution would have to include border security or run the risk of losing even more support.