7/19/2023

Florida Division of Emergency Management Issues Update on Operation Lone Star, Florida Officials Interact with over 24,000 Undocumented Migrants and conduct Nearly 400 Human Trafficking Arrests

EAGLE PASS, TX — Today, the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced that Florida teams have made contact with over 24,000 undocumented migrants and assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) with over 1,700 arrests including felony charges for human smuggling, drug paraphernalia, unlawful carrying of weapons, a suspect with a capital murder warrant, an MS-13 gang member currently on the U.S. Terror Watch List, and a Latin King’s gang member.

This week, Florida officials conducted several water rescues after observing undocumented migrants toss a 1-year-old and 5-year-old into the Rio Grande River in an attempt to be picked up by air boats. After the 1-year-old was retrieved and a life ring was tossed to the 5-year-old, migrants left the area after not being allowed to cross the border. Approximately 4 hours later, the migrant who allegedly tossed the 1-year-old was located on the U.S. side and arrested for child endangerment. In addition, Florida officials assisted with the water rescue of three individuals at Shelby Park, including a pregnant female and 7-year-old who were both transferred to a medical provider.

Under the Emergency Management Compact (EMAC) the following state resources remain deployed in Texas supporting the mass migration crisis at the U.S. southern border:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

• Florida Department of Law Enforcement members remain deployed assisting Texas law enforcement agencies investigating criminal activity along the border associated with human trafficking and drug and weapon smuggling.  
• FDLE agents have assisted Texas DPS with arrests of violent felony suspects including gang members. Suspects were arrested on various Texas state charges including human smuggling, burglary, firearms, smuggling of persons, smuggling of persons with a firearm, child endangerment, escape from federal custody, and possession of controlled substance.
• As part of the arrests, FDLE agents helped seize cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, firearms, and boxes of ammunition.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) – Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)

• 101 FHP troopers are deployed in support of Operation Lone Star.
• Troopers assisted Border Patrol and Texas DPS with repelling over 100 undocumented migrants attempting to forcibly push towards the U.S. border at Brownsville International Bridge. All responding agencies utilized barriers to hold the line and prevent the migrants from illegally crossing.  
• Troopers have been involved in 6,945 traffic stops, 398commercial vehicle inspections, and 84 pursuits, one of which was a post-crash from a double fatal vehicle incident as well as a traffic stop which led to gaining intel of a stash house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
• Troopers have assisted with 80 crashes (7 of which were fatal) and 36 DUI’s.
• These efforts have resulted in 102narcotic-related charges along with 74federal and/or state warrant arrest on fugitives as well as the seizure of ten firearms. Throughout the course of their duties, troopers have identified gang members and recovered undocumented migrants concealed within vehicles.
• FHP has been involved with more than 397 human smuggling/human trafficking arrests.
• Troopers responded to an area on the United States border due to reports of gunfire occurring in Mexico. Troopers provided perimeter security for a local school in the immediate area. Additionally, troopers have responded and assisted with an attempted suicide, aggravated battery with a firearm, and an incident that resulted in a battery on a law enforcement officer in the United States Border Patrol. 
• FHP has deployed unmanned aircraft on 1,040occasions while facilitating multiple missions and assisted in identifying the location of 3,644 undocumented migrants previously documented in the coun
• FHP has detained two suspects involved in smuggling people into the United States, both of whom have been turned over to the United States Border Patrol. Troopers have had encounters with multiple undocumented migrants originating from Brazil. China, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, and Middle Eastern countries. FHP has also encountered African, Cuban, Bolivian, and Iranian undocumented migrants who were detained and turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

• An eighth wave of 20 sworn FWC Officers and two mechanics deployed to Texas to assist federal, state, and local agencies with response efforts, including interdictions and turnbacks. A total of 172 FWC personnel have deployed to Texas to assist state and federal agencies.
• FWC’s law enforcement assets continue to provide assistance to responding federal, state, county, and municipal agencies with border security, information gathering, humanitarian response, search and rescue efforts, officer safety and assistance, emergency medical services, and other similar duties.
• FWC officers are partnering with Texas law enforcement to conduct high-visibility water patrols along the border.
• FWC officers are conducting land-based border patrol activities in conjunction with Texas law enforcement.
• Ten shallow draft vessels and two airboats capable of navigating variable depth river environments are being used by FWC and Texas law enforcement to assist federal, state, and local efforts.
• Twenty four-wheel-drive patrol vehicles are in use by FWC officers.
• FWC officers have worked with Texas DPS and local law enforcement with the arrest of 102 individuals for various charges.

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