Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to step up public safety and homeland security operations across the state. This action comes in response to increasing cartel violence in Mexico, which is considered a rising threat to people living in the United States.
“Mexican drug cartels pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” said Governor Abbott. “By increasing proactive efforts to defend against cartel violence, Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state and our nation. We will not cower to criminals who impose terror on our fellow Texans and Americans.”
Under these new orders, DPS will increase deployment of Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, the Criminal Investigations Division, and the Special Operations Group along the border. The aim is to detect, stop, and arrest criminals while preventing spillover activity from transnational threats. The Tactical Marine Unit and Aircraft Operations Division will also boost their presence along the border for similar purposes. Additionally, more staff from the Homeland Security Division and Texas Fusion Center will be activated to monitor social media and suspicious activity around the clock.
People in Texas who need immediate help are advised to contact either the U.S. Department of State or the Texas Fusion Center using designated phone numbers.
Governor Abbott also recently encouraged Texans currently in Mexico—or those with family or friends traveling there—to follow warnings issued by the U.S. Department of State due to ongoing security operations, road blockages, and criminal activity throughout Mexico.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott has led several initiatives related to border security as part of its broader focus on job creation, education improvement, economic opportunity expansion, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, and securing the southern border. The office operates primarily from Austin at the State Insurance Building but delivers services statewide across Texas (https://gov.texas.gov/). Greg Abbott has headed this office since his election in 2014 (https://gov.texas.gov/). Under his leadership, Texas has seen strong job growth and record employment levels (https://gov.texas.gov/). In 2024, Greg Abbott was recognized among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People (https://gov.texas.gov/).
