JIM HOGG COUNTY, Texas — Jim Hogg County will soon play host to a new jail that is part of Governor Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star Program.
The New facility will be for booking people arrested for committing border related crimes.
According to a press release from the Texas Governor's Office. The goal is to arrest migrants trespassing on private ranches. If they are convicted, they would not be aloud to legally stay in the U.S.
The new facility is the second jail booking facility of it's kind in Texas, with the first being launched in Val Verde County in July of 2021.
"Securing the border includes arresting and prosecuting anyone committing border-related crimes in Texas," Abbott said. "The launch of our second Operation Lone Star jail booking facility builds upon the unprecedented actions taken by Texas to respond to the Biden Administration's open border policies. The State of Texas' work to secure the border is made stronger by our collaboration with local governments and law enforcement across the state, and I am grateful to our partners in Jim Hogg County for working with our state agencies to launch this new facility."
According to the release Gov. Abbott's actions to secure the border include:
- Signing laws that provide $3 billion in funding for Texas' border security efforts
- Launching Operation Lone Star and deploying thousands of National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers
- Arresting and jailing illegal migrants trespassing or committing other state crimes in Texas
- Building the border wall in Texas
- Signing a law to make it easier to prosecute smugglers bringing people into Texas
- Signing 9 laws cracking down on human trafficking in Texas
- Signing a law enhancing penalties for the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl
- Issuing a disaster declaration for the border crisis
- Issuing an executive order preventing non-governmental entities from transporting illegal immigrants
- Taking legal action to enforce the Remain in Mexico and Title 42 policies in Texas