Americans have donated more than $55 million dollars to Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” to help fund construction of a border wall in his state, which is being overwhelmed by illegal immigration.
“Join our historic efforts to secure the border,” the governor’s Operation Lone Star website requests, providing links to donation pages for border wall funding, funding to transport illegal aliens to so-called “sanctuary cities” outside the state who claim to welcome them, and border security funding.
A total of $56 million has been donated, as of December 8, 2023:
- $55,427,025 to help fund the border wall,
- $460,196 to help fund transportation of migrants,
- $102,689 to help fund Texas border security
To-date, about 12 miles of border wall have been built by the state, at an estimated cost of more than $20 million per mile.
In April 2022, Governor Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to begin the voluntary transportation of migrants to sanctuary cities.
Since that time, Texas has bused:
- Over 12,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. since April 2022
- Over 31,200 migrants to New York City since August 2022
- Over 25,300 migrants to Chicago since August 2022
- Over 3,400 migrants to Philadelphia since November 2022
- Over 11,800 migrants to Denver since May 18
- Over 1,200 migrants to Los Angeles since June 14
But, now that self-proclaimed sanctuary cities like Chicago have started passing measures to keep out the buses of illegal migrants they claim to welcome, Texas has turned to air transportation, Gov. Abbott reported earlier this month:
“Sanctuary city Chicago started obstructing and targeting our busing mission. Texas will now expand our operation to include flights to Chicago. Until Biden steps up to secure the border, we will continue to provide overwhelmed Texas border towns with much-needed relief.”
Texas' first migrant flight departed El Paso on Tuesday, December 19 and arrived in Chicago that evening with over 120 migrants.
Democrat mayors of sanctuary cities - such as Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston – have begun complaining about being forced to make good on their promise of sanctuary and are calling on the Biden Administration to provide help.
Sanctuary city Chicago started obstructing and targeting our busing mission.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 20, 2023
Texas will now expand our operation to include flights to Chicago.
Until Biden steps up to secure the border, we will continue to provide overwhelmed Texas border towns with much-needed relief. pic.twitter.com/kRoK8KBpJ2