Texas Weighs Sending Migrants Directly to ICE Detention Centers

Operation Lone Star, the contentious migrant busing program run by Texas, is under significant review by officials there. Revealed by a government source, the suggested change would be sending migrants straight to ICE detention facilities in order to speed deportations.

Operation Lone Star has bused nearly 100,000 migrants to refuge cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicag,o since its April 2022 start. Although Governor Greg Abbott presents the initiative as a deterrence against illegal immigration, some contend it presents humanitarian issues for metropolitan areas.

Eliminating sanctuary city stops and emphasizing fast deportations will help to discourage illegal immigration further, according to the new plan. In expressing support for this change, Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump's incoming Border Czar, emphasizes the possibility of ICE compensation to offset transportation expenses.

Having reported around 500,000 apprehensions and 38,300 arrests since its launch, Texas law enforcement has praised the program's broader effects. Advocates of immigrants, however, warn the change will aggravate concerns of underprivileged groups and limit legal resources' availability.

Although Abbott has yet to approve the strategy, his most recent border discussion with Homan highlights a shared dedication to higher border security. An ultimate choice on the direction of the program could change Texas's attitude on immigration policy.

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