Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started Operation Lone Star more than three years ago, and it appears that it finally delivered the desired results this year. Texas managed to put illegal immigration under control by securing the border with Mexico after enforcing a set of controversial measures and sending thousands of state troops to monitor the border around the clock. With these measures in place, crossing the border and getting into Texas is much more difficult, resulting in migrants seeking alternative routes and entry points in other states.
Republican-led states to the rescue
Texas succeeded in curbing illegal immigration with the help of numerous Republican-led states that sent troops to the border. Florida, specifically, has so far helped the most and has been actively partnering with the state of Texas for years. Currently, there are more than 1,000 Florida National Guard troops in Texas after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made the decision to send additional help earlier this year. Despite the great results in securing the border, both states seem to experience an influx of migrants through their airports thanks to a President Joe Biden administration-led program, which many find controversial.
Texas Rep. Chip Roy criticizing the program
Texas Republicans are criticizing a Biden administration parole program for four nationalities after it was revealed this week that three of the top destinations for migrants under the program are in Texas — on top of the numbers it is already seeing coming across the border. Rep. Chip Roy said that the impact is severe and it will drive huge frustration among Texans.
“It’s just another layer to the entirety of what we’re dealing with,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas told Fox News Digital in an interview. “But that’s what people need to understand, it’s a very specific program designed to flood the system, misusing parole to do it.”
“Much of the leverage has been given up. So I think this is more of a reason for Texas to do what it has to do, governors to do what they have to do, because, frankly, the federal government has abandoned them,” he said. “This is a reason to elect Donald Trump. This is a reason to, yes, send Republicans, to the House and to the Senate. So we can at least have an actual debate about border security.”
The parole program flooded Florida and Texas with migrants
An official report reveals that from January to August 2023, approximately 200,000 migrants entered the U.S. via a parole program for four nationalities. The majority of these migrants settled in Florida, but Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston were among the top 15 destinations, collectively welcoming over 10,000 migrants in that time frame. This policy, initially rolled out for Venezuelans in October 2022, allowed those who hadn’t crossed illegally and had a U.S. sponsor to enter if they met biometric and background checks. The program doesn’t arrange flights, leaving travel plans up to the migrants.
Other nationalities added later
In January 2023, the administration extended this policy to include Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Cubans, with up to 30,000 people per month eligible to enter. They receive work permits and can stay in the U.S. for up to two years, while Title 42 expulsions were expanded to include these groups. By late February 2024, more than 400,000 individuals had used the program, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
Biden admin finds the program safe
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas highlighted that the program offers a “safe and orderly way to reach the United States” and has reduced unauthorized entry by these nationalities. DHS emphasized that all applicants undergo thorough security screening and must meet strict eligibility requirements.
“These processes are publicly available online, and DHS has been providing regular updates on their use to the public. These processes are part of the administration’s strategy to combine expanded lawful pathways with stronger consequences to reduce irregular migration, and have kept hundreds of thousands of people from migrating irregularly,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital last month.
Senator Ted Cruz reaction
“The invasion at our southern border has turned every American city into a border city, and the Biden administration’s efforts to fly illegal aliens across the country is the reason why,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas said in a statement. “Biden’s fast-track processing, and programs like their CHNV parole program, are only pushing the border crisis further into the interior of the country. Every day, our national security is being undermined more and more by the Biden administration,” he said. “In Texas, Houston, Dallas, and Austin have been hit especially hard by the open border, finding themselves having to support tens of thousands of illegal aliens Biden has rolled out the red carpet for.”
Senator Sen. John Cornyn says Texans will be angry
Senator Sen. John Cornyn said that the historic crisis, which has seen more than 2.4 million migrant encounters last fiscal year at the border, is having a “severe” impact on the state, and he believes Texans will be angry to learn that more migrants are flying in. He was asked on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” if he thought that the program was okay.
“No,” he said. Cornyn has previously slammed the use of parole by the administration as “cooking the books.”
