BROOKS COUNTY, Texas — Brooks County officials said they have concerns about Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s plan to bring “Operation Lonestar” to the county. The idea is to have hundreds of DPS troopers on the ground looking to arrest migrants who are trespassing on area ranches.
David Garcia has been the Brooks County Attorney for about 35 years. He told 3News he’s been a part of two meetings between Brooks County officials and DPS. State troopers want to bring in a huge task force as part of Governor Greg Abbott‘s, “Operation Lonestar,” an effort that has been running up and down the border for several months.
However, state officials now want to expand that effort and send in hundreds of troopers to the Brooks County area. They would then go out on area ranches looking for migrants trespassing on those lands.
"The proposal to us was that they would set up a processing center in Brooks County, where they would bring any arrestee from any of the counties, process them and take them over to either Dilley, or I believe, or somewhere in the valley for detention.” David Garcia, Brooks County Attorney said.
But Garcia said he has problems with the plan. Those concerns focus on financial, legal and manpower issues. Those details are contained in letters he wrote in a back-and-forth exchange with DPS.
“My concern was that for the county attorney who is going to do all the work, they were offering me nothing. They said they were going to fund the D.A. and they will have somebody come through and rotate through. They wouldn’t give me any details about who, when or where or for how long.” Garcia said.
Garcia said he wanted a written agreement that would spell out the state’s offer of financial help for his one-man prosecutor’s office. He also wanted the state to shield the county from lawsuits resulting in the prosecution of the migrants for trespassing.
Brooks County Judge Eric Ramos shares many of the county attorney’s concerns and is hoping that DPS will put its proposed deal in writing.
“I’m not asking for indemnity, which is what the county attorney is asking for. I’m not sure we can do that, I’m not sure there’s a document that does that. But I do think it’s the law that when you have two government agencies that work together, you’ve got to have some kind of written agreement and that’s what they’re not wanting to do,” Ramos said.
The head of a local farming and ranching organization here in Brooks County is hoping that it’s not too late to try and salvage this deal with the state.
Susan Kibbe is the Executive Director of South Texans’ Property Rights Association. She said the county brings up several valid points over the DPS proposal. Her big concern remains that the county is worried about possibly being sued by migrant activist groups over being a part of “Operation Lonestar.”
“But to say you’re worried about lawsuits from frivolous NGOs or others who are just trying to make noise and not standing up for the rule of law and the sovereignty of this nation are a real issue. I think that’s a real issue.” Kibbe said.
Brooks County officials said that the DPS wants to use the District Attorney’s office to funnel the money to Brooks County through existing grants. The D.A. also believes an agreement needs to be in place before this proposal moves forward.
“There’s a lot of concerns that I think need to be addressed just so that the county knows what exactly are we going to get help with, and how much help and how long is that help going to be here for,” (CHECK THIS)Omar Garcia, 79th Judicial District Attorney said.
County Judge Eric Ramos says he will continue to work with DPS in the hopes of salvaging the proposal by getting that written agreement. That way everyone knows what’s to be expected from each other.
