Texas – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said state authorities assisted in the apprehension of individuals from China who were attempting to evade law enforcement during a recent border operation in South Texas.
In a post on social media, Abbott said, “Operation Lone Star continues nonstop to arrest illegal immigrants along our border,” adding that Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) personnel helped track and apprehend what he described as “Special Interest Aliens from China” who were allegedly trying to evade capture on private ranches in Maverick County.
Abbott said the operation involved coordination between state law enforcement agencies working under Operation Lone Star, the state’s ongoing border security initiative launched to address illegal border crossings and related criminal activity along the Texas-Mexico border.
The governor’s statement did not provide additional details on the number of individuals detained, their immigration status, or whether federal authorities had taken custody following the apprehensions. DPS has not yet released a separate detailed report on the incident at the time of publication.
The claim quickly circulated online after being amplified by conservative commentator Eric Daugherty, who posted that authorities had “caught a group of Chinese Special Interest Aliens dressed in camouflage trying to evade detection at the southern border in Texas.” His post also included praise for the apprehensions.
The term “Special Interest Alien” is used by federal and state agencies in certain enforcement contexts to describe individuals from countries identified as requiring additional screening or scrutiny for national security reasons. However, the use of the term in public messaging has also drawn criticism in broader immigration policy debates.
Operation Lone Star has been a central part of Texas’ border enforcement strategy, involving deployments of DPS troopers and National Guard personnel, along with surveillance operations, arrests, and prosecutions related to illegal border crossings.
Supporters of the initiative argue it strengthens border security and deters illegal entry, while critics have raised concerns about resource allocation, legal challenges, and the broader humanitarian impact of enforcement tactics.
As of now, state officials have not announced further updates regarding the individuals referenced in Abbott’s statement or any potential federal charges or immigration proceedings connected to the case.
