Since its inception back in 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has made Operation Lone Star one of his flagship policies. The controversial program, which has cost the state over $11 billion, is meant to deter illegal crossings and has led the governor to clash both with the Biden administration but his neighboring states as well.
To keep immigrants at bay, Operation Lone Star has resorted to everything from razor wire to buoy barriers. But the governor is also warning of additional risks: on Wednesday he replied to a post by a local reporter who uploaded videos of alligators swimming in the Eagle Pass area with an ominous warning: "Alligators in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass."
Alligators in the Rio Grande near Eagle
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 25, 2024
Pass. https://t.co/enBH6iQJpy
It is not the first time that Abbott has posted about alligators as a method to deter immigration. Back in April, the governor replied to another reporter's videos by saying:
"Alligators are in the Rio Grande. FYI there are warning signs posted in some sectors. Cross at your own risk."
Alligators are in the Rio Grande.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 29, 2024
FYI there are warning signs posted in some sectors.
Cross at your own risk. https://t.co/20ERlPNW8E
As Newsweek reports, alligator attacks are exceptionally rare in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data cited by Live Science, there were 10 killings in the southeastern part of the U.S. between 1999 and 2019.
Nevertheless, back in May, Texas authorities discovered a woman's remains clenched in the jaws of an alligator. The remains were later identified as that of 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham, who had been reported missing several days before.
On Tuesday, Governor Abbott announced rewards for information that can lead to the identification and arrest of suspected members of the Venezuelan-born Tren de Aragua gang, which was declared a 'foreign terrorist group' by his administration.
"I am announcing a reward for any information that leads to the identification and arrest of known or suspected members of this gang who have been or are involved in heinous crimes," Abbott said in a statement. "Texas will not let these thugs use our state as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens."
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