CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Operation Lone Star, the border security initiative launched by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, is in the spotlight after reports of state troopers mistreating migrants along the border.
Now, one group is demanding an investigation and KRIS 6 News spoke to advocates who want answers.
In March of 2021, Abbott issued a disaster declaration after what he called a "migrant crisis" along our border.As a result, he created operation Lone Star and deployed State Troopers to the border to help law enforcement deal with the droves of immigrants coming into the United States.
Immigration advocates see flaws in this program and are not staying quiet. After several allegations of DPS Troopers mistreating migrants at the border, Mexican-American Legislative Caucus (MALC) sent a formal letter to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan asking for an investigation into Operation Lone Star.
In the last few days, there have been reports of state troopers pushing young migrants back into the Rio Grande River and refusing to give migrants water.
Also, Gov. Abbott ordered that concertina wire be placed along the river's bank.
Armando with MALC said they had to step in.
“This is an issue of being inhumane and looking and seeking and finding out why borders of that magnitude were given,”he said.
Martinez said dehumanizing any refugees by refusing water in extreme temperatures or simply mistreating them does not reflect Texas values.
“As MALC we want to make sure we reach out and make sure that those who are accountable, those who have done this or who gave this order are held accountable for that and for all parties involved in this aggressive tactics against migrants,” he said.
Activist and Vice President of the South Texas Human Rights Center Nancy Vera told KRIS 6 News that some of the things happening at the border are unacceptable and that the South Texas Human Rights Center stands with MALC.
“We are sick and tired of Governor Abbott’s corruptness in office and what I mean by corrupt, I mean the fact that he is creating legislation and he is preventing the natural migration of people from South America and from other places," she said.
Vera added that she would like to see Abbott to do something that is productive and that would benefit migrants.
