CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — In Brooks County, officials have stated that they've been attempting to collaborate with the governor's office to secure additional funding for launching a prosecution unit to handle Operation Lone Star cases.
County leaders have indicated that the plan is for DPS brush units to operate on ranch properties in Brooks, apprehending migrants found on those ranches, and subsequently prosecuting them.
However, the program cannot be launched due to concerns raised by everyone, from the county attorney to the sheriff, stating that the governor's public safety office has not provided the necessary funds to initiate the prosecution unit.
Brooks County Attorney David Garcia hopes that the governor's office will allocate the maximum possible funding to staff the new unit. These personnel will be responsible for managing all the arrests made by DPS brush units in Brooks County when migrants are apprehended for trespassing on ranches.
"Unfortunately, since we're just getting started there was no money provided for the equipment and the location," he said.
Garcia stated that the county received an $800,000 grant to cover staff salaries for a year. However, there is no funding available for office space, equipment, and required supplies.
"We're just going to have to keep our efforts up and keep reaching out to the governor's office to see how we can get those extra funding's and kind of just to meet the need. Because that's what it is the need, not so much the want but the need," he said.
3NEWS sent a request to interview someone at the public safety office but had not received a response by news time. State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, however, pledged to investigate the situation.
"I will call and discuss this issue with the county attorney and get help," he said.
The county is also allocating $250,000 for repairing the roof and air conditioning in the old Blumer County building across the street from the courthouse, where the Lone Star prosecution unit is planned to be located. The county has informed the state that it requires over $400,000 for the necessary repairs and renovations before it can commence hiring the prosecution team and relocating them.