Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has launched a billboard campaign to deter migrants from crossing the border from Mexico into Texas. However, many of these billboards aren’t located in Texas, or even the U.S.
“How much did you pay to have your daughter raped? Many girls are raped by the coyotes you hire,” one billboard states.
Another billboard reads, “Stop. If you cross the border illegally into Texas, you will be jailed.”
A third billboard warns of kidnapped girls who tried to migrate to Texas. “For the sake of your family… stop,” it also says.
The term “coyote” commonly describes a human smuggler.
At a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 20, Abbott revealed that officials have strategically placed more than 40 billboards in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, as well as along the Texas-Mexico border. The billboards intend to warn migrants about the dangerous journey to the U.S.
“We’re here to expose the truth,” Abbott said. “The truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here. The truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way.”
The billboards are in various languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.
Abbott said the billboard campaign –– the state’s latest effort to curb illegal immigration –– will cost $100,000.
In 2021, Texas launched “Operation Lone Star” in response to the border crisis, as millions of migrants crossed into the U.S. through the southern border.
According to Abbott’s office, under Operation Lone Star, Texas law enforcement apprehended 523,100 immigrants and arrested 47,800 individuals. Also, 41,300 of them face felony charges.
Additionally, Texas law enforcement has seized more than 551 million lethal doses of fentanyl — enough to kill every man, woman and child in the U.S. and Mexico combined.
Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics have shown decreased migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border. In November 2024, there were 94,190 encounters, compared to 242,399 encounters in November 2023.
President-elect Donald Trump has also vowed to implement the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
