Texas Trooper assigned to "Operation Lone Star" keeps watch over the Mexican border along the Rio Grande.Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

There are some concerning developments along the Texas - Mexico border. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports the arrests of 49 "Special Interest Immigrants" (which the federal government refers to as "Special Interest Aliens") suspected of illegally crossing into the state over a period of several recent days.

"A (Special Interest Alien) is a non-U.S. person who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests. Often such individuals or groups (have) travel patterns known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism." -U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The most recent of these arrests occurred on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Eagle Pass as Texas Troopers apprehended a group of 135 illegal immigrants. Among them were 14 Special Interest Aliens from Turkey and China.

Two days before that, on September 30, 2024, Texas Troopers encountered an even larger group of illegal immigrants in Eagle Pass. Among the 230 migrants taken into custody were 27 Special-Interest Aliens from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, & India.

Earlier in September, the Texas DPS Troopers apprehended 8 Special Interest Aliens from 5 different countries over one 48-hour period in remote areas of the county where Eagle Pass is located.

Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers question migrants apprehended in a remote area along the border near Eagle Pass.Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

The discovery of so many Special Interest Aliens a year ago along the U.S. Border with Mexico prompted Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to sound the alarm about the situation in a letter they sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in November:

"Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data indicates that thousands of “Special Interest Aliens” from countries including those in the Middle East have been arrested at the southern border just over the past twenty-four months." -Texas Senators Ted Cruz & John Cornyn (November 16, 2023)

The Senators described those “special interest aliens” as "illegal aliens from countries identified by the Department of Homeland Security as having conditions that promote or protect terrorism or potentially pose some sort of national security threat to the U.S."

The pair of Texas Senators were both blunt in their assessment of the dangers posed by the large numbers of Special Interest Aliens crossing the border - and of their demands of the Homeland Security Secretary:

"Your failure to secure the southern border undoubtedly makes our nation less safe. It is imperative that you reverse this reckless course and ramp up interior enforcement of federal immigration law." -Texas Senators Ted Cruz & John Cornyn (November 16, 2023)

"Special Interest Aliens" present Turkish passports to Texas State Troopers during their apprehension near Eagle Pass (September 2024).Photo byTexas Department of Public Safety

Still - as demonstrated through the recent arrest reports (see above) from the Texas Department of Public Safety - "Special Interest Aliens" are continuing to cross the border illegally.

Should more be done to secure the Southern Border with Mexico?

Share your opinion in the comments on this article!

For more stories like this "Follow Me" on the Newsbreak App and "Like" this article to stay up to date on border security issues regularly covered by Jack Beavers on Newsbreak like these:

• Texas Border: $18M Drug Busts in 1 Day
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