Operation Lone Star Archives

Gov. Abbott plans to send M113 armored personnel carriers to Texas border

November 21, 2022

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he’s fighting “an invasion” at the southern border last week. When he launched Operation Lone Star last year, thousands of Texas soldiers went to the border. Now, it looks like those soldiers will be getting armored personnel carriers.

Today I wrote Pres. Biden to explain why Texas is invoking Art. 1 Sec. 10 of the Constitution to respond to the invasion caused by Biden's open border policies.

Texas is prioritizing repelling & returning immigrants who enter illegally.

Full letter:https://t.co/v3GZmqVdoM

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 16, 2022

According to an order obtained by Army Times and the Texas Tribune, 10 Vietnam-era M113 APCs will soon deploy to the Texas border. 50 soldiers will be trained to operate the vehicles, which are designed to carry troops into battle alongside tanks.

The APCs are bulletproof by definition and can be fitted with an array of weapons like machine guns, grenade launchers, even a cannon. It’s unclear, however, whether Texas will arm the APCs. M113s also feature tracks instead of tires, so they can traverse more difficult terrain with a lower risk of getting stuck.

In addition to deploying the “battle taxis,” the Texas Military Department said the Texas National Guard will also increase aircraft flights and security efforts at the border.

Since President Joe Biden took office, a record number of migrants have crossed the southern border. Gov. Abbott and other conservative leaders accuse the federal government of dereliction of duty by failing to secure the southern border. Critics said Abbott is trying to justify his invasion narrative by criminalizing asylum seekers and migrants looking to better their lives.
Greg Abbott defeats Beto O’Rourke in Texas governor’s race

November 8, 2022

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, has secured a third term. His victory over former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D, solidifies his dominance over Texas politics in a state many Democrats hoped to turn blue or at least purple.

Immigration and abortion rights were front and center during this race. Abbott had come under sharp criticism from the left for his southern border policies. But a Siena College poll revealed Texans largely supported his actions. Texas voters approved of Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which put thousands of National Guard troops on the border, by a 58%-35% margin. A majority of Texans, 52%, also favored Abbott busing immigrants to cities like New York and Washington, D.C.

Abbott also touted himself as a fierce advocate and protector of unborn children. But it’s less clear he had as much public support for his pro-life policies. The governor pushed through a bill that made it illegal to perform an abortion after a heartbeat was detected. While there was an exception for medical emergencies, there were no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The Siena poll that found support for his immigration policies also revealed that a majority of Texans disagreed with the the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturing Roe v. Wade and strongly opposed a Texas trigger law, 64%-31%, which made it a felony to perform an abortion with a possible penalty of life in prison.

O’Rourke made gun control a cornerstone of his campaign. He called for a repeal of Abbott’s permitless carry bill, an assault weapons ban, red flag laws and universal background checks. O’Rourke received support from some Uvalde parents who appeared in campaign commercials for him. He also confronted Gov. Abbott during a press conference in Uvalde in the wake of the school shooting that left 21 people dead, including 19 students.

O’Rourke is a former congressman representing El Paso. He received endorsements from celebrities including Willie Nelson and Harry Styles. This was his third major campaign after losing his race for Senate in 2018 and Democratic Presidential Primary bid in 2020.
Abbott widens lead over O’Rourke in Texas Governor’s race

September 23, 2022

A new poll found Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, has widened his lead over his challenger Beto O’Rourke, D. The Spectrum News-Siena College Poll revealed Abbott leads O’Rourke 50% – 43% in the race for governor.

According to the poll, nearly all Republicans and Democrats in the state are supporting their party’s candidate, while Independents favor Abbott by 1 point.

The expanded lead for Abbott is partially driven by voters’ priorities.

“Economic issues are by far the dominant election issues for all voters. Republicans overwhelmingly put economic issues in the top spot, and say immigration is the second most important issue affecting their vote. Among Democrats the economy is tied with ‘threats to democracy’ and abortion is a close third. Independents say the economy most followed by ‘threats to democracy’ and immigration,” Don Levy, Siena College Research Institute Director, said.

Immigration was the second biggest priority, and Abbott also has the advantage there. Texans support Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which puts National Guard troops on the border, 58%-35%. In addition, a majority of Texans support bussing migrants to big cities outside the state, 52-40%.

Texas voters better align with O’Rourke’s views on abortion, but it’s fourth on their list of priorities. The poll found 55% oppose the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision to overturn Roe V. Wade, and 64% oppose Texas’ new abortion law championed by Abbott.

O’Rourke is also basing a lot of his campaign on gun violence in the wake of the Uvalde mass shooting in which 19 children and 2 adults were killed at Robb Elementary School. Texas voters have diverse views on the Second Amendment. O’Rourke’s views better align with the 85% of Texas voters who support universal background checks, but 53% support arming teachers in schools, a proposal Abbott has advocated for.

As for the future of Texas. 47% say the state is headed in the wrong direction, 43% say it’s on the right track.

Gov. Abbott plans to send M113 armored personnel carriers to Texas border

Greg Abbott defeats Beto O’Rourke in Texas governor’s race

Abbott widens lead over O’Rourke in Texas Governor’s race

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