Texas border mission results in nearly 130 arrests in five days, targets brush and contraband guides

Authorities patrolling the southern border in a bid to reduce the record number of illegal immigrants entering the country said a multi-day operation resulted in more than 120 arrests, including three Chinese citizens and smuggling guides.

Soldiers from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Rio Grande Valley Brush Team and U.S. Border Patrol agents teamed up Jan. 31 through Saturday to find smugglers and illegal immigrants, it said Monday. authorities.

The Brush Squad is a specialized unit that focuses on finding brush/smuggle guides, otherwise known as “coyotes”, on the Rio Grande River that separates Mexico and the United States.

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“These are illegal immigrants from Mexico who ferry other illegal immigrants across the river and then guide them through the brush to be picked up in a vehicle and smuggled further inside “, says a press release from the DPS.

Authorities arrested 129 people during the mission. Additionally, eight brushing and smuggling guides were identified and 3 others were arrested. Among those arrested are three Chinese citizens as well as people arrested following a car chase.

A suspected brush guide arrested by Texas and border authorities last week. (Texas Department of Public Safety)

The three guides are from Mexico and have “numerous arrests” by Border Patrol for illegal entry into the United States, but no prosecutions.

“Because (the) federal government will not prosecute,” the statement said. “This allows these guides to continue to smuggle people across without consequences. This is a first for the DPS to arrest these guides at the river and provide additional support to Border Patrol.”

The mission was part of Operation Lone Star, a border security initiative launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Abbott has been particularly aggressive in securing the border in response to what he says is the Biden administration’s failure to address the issue.

An image of one of three suspected brush guides arrested by Texas and federal authorities in recent days in the Rio Grande Valley. (Texas Department of Public Safety)

In addition to tackling record numbers of migrants, the mission was also launched to ease pressure on border towns that have been forced to allocate resources to those entering the country, illegally or otherwise.

On Sunday, nearly two dozen migrants were detained at four separate traffic stops in Zavala County. Thirteen of the migrants were smuggled in a van while wearing camouflage clothing, authorities said.

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There were 251,000 migrant encounters in December alone. Meanwhile, there have so far been more than 300,000 “getaways” — illegal immigrants who have evaded Border Patrol — so far this fiscal year, sources told Fox News this week. .