Operation Lone Star

House Bill 20 by state Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, would test the boundaries of the state’s ability to enforce immigration law, which courts have historically ruled falls under federal purview.

Some government watchdogs say the long-running mission is an inappropriate use of the Guard. Even the Pentagon has been looking for an off-ramp.

The state’s police force is asking lawmakers to again fund the state-led effort known as Operation Lone Star to the tune of more than $1 billion.

It’s the first-known incident where a soldier has shot a migrant since the mission began. The injury is non-life threatening.

A Kinney County Judge ruled an Operation Lone Star policy to be unconstitutional for being discriminatory against migrant men.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals found that it was unreasonable for a challenge to a trespassing case to be filed so far from where the charge occurred.

State Rep. Richard Raymond, a Democrat from Laredo, said he designed the legislation with Operation Lone Star in mind.

The latest infusion was among $874.6 million in “emergency” budget transfers requested by the Texas Legislative Budget Board, which is composed of GOP state leaders and budget writers.

The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021.

With a lack of concrete results and about a year left in the state’s two-year budget cycle, it’s unclear whether Texas can afford to continue running the border security initiative in its current form.