Texas Police Join Trump Crackdown

According to public records obtained by The Texas Tribune, Texas Department of Public Safety officers have assisted in the arrest of over 3,000 undocumented immigrants throughout the state this year. These records offer the most comprehensive look to date at how state police are refocusing their efforts from the border to support the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, which state officials have largely kept under wraps. 

 

According to DPS statistics, from late January to early September, 3,131 previously unreported arrests were linked to specialized teams established at Governor Greg Abbott’s directive to support President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.  Approximately 88% of those detained were arrested on suspicion of breaking federal immigration rules, such as entering the country illegally. This may be the first time state resources have been used for a function formerly carried out only by federal officials.