Texas border czar praises ‘unique’ collaboration by local sheriffs to help rural border county

ZAPATA, Texas ( Border Report ) — Texas Border Czar Mike Banks visited the rural South Texas border county of Zapata on Tuesday along with sheriffs from several other counties who are offering resources to help this area combat illegal immigration and illegal drugs coming across from Mexico.

“It’s very unique,” Banks told Border Report. “What the sheriffs have chosen to do on their own is they’ve decided to take that pool of resources and work together, collaborate together to be more effective.”

The funds come from Operation Lone Star — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature border security initiative that has spent over $10 billion in the past two years.

Counties that have declared emergency disasters due to irregular immigration are eligible for funds and additional resources through Operation Lone Star to help boost their law enforcement presence on the border.

Zapata County, with just 14,000 residents, has received about $4 million in Operation Lone Star funding over the past two years, Zapata County Judge Joe Rathmell told Border Report.

But Zapata County Sheriff Raymundo Del Bosque says that they need more help. And with no incorporated cities within Zapata County, there are no police forces or other local law enforcement agencies the sheriff can turn to.

That’s where he says this collaboration with sheriffs from several other Texas counties is a lifeline.

“It’s phenomenal what they’re doing with the grant money that they’re being given. It should send a message to the taxpayers of Texas that they’re being fiscally responsible. They’re getting the most out of every dollar that the state is giving them and it’s unprecedented and the results they are getting is phenomenal,” Del Bosque said Tuesday as he welcomed Banks and the sheriffs at the Zapata County Boat Ramp on the shores of Falcon Lake.

On Tuesday, two new boats that were purchased by Zapata County with Operation Lone Star funds were christened by Banks and Del Bosque for use in the Rio Grande and Falcon Lake.

Overhead, a helicopter buzzed about. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara told Border Report that his office has offered the use of their chopper to Zapata County to help law enforcement patrol the lake and the nearby Rio Grande.

“Whatever we can do to help, we’ll do,” McNamara said.

Goliad County Sheriff Roy Boyd has offered law enforcement support and resources.

“It’s extremely important because none of us have the resources that we need in order to conduct business that’s at hand especially with the open border policies of the Biden administration, running us over every single day,” Boyd told Border Report

He said his tiny county of 7,000 residents, outside Victoria, Texas, went from 77 arrests per year, on average. “Under Biden, we had over 450 last year. Crime is up drastically, drugs are up. Human smuggling is up. It’s an absolute disaster. None of us are manned for this kind of avalanche of criminal activity.”

Other sheriffs in attendance Tuesday included the counties of: Jackson, Kleberg and McMullen. The chief of police for Falfurrias, Texas, also came to Zapata.

“As a commissioners’ court, we fully support Gov. Abbott’s efforts in securing the border. So this type of collaboration between county officials and county law enforcement, sheriffs certainly is most helpful,” Rathmell said. “I commend the sheriff for putting this group together and sharing resources, sharing Operation Lone Star resources to make a better and bigger presence.”

The event held Tuesday came two days after 14 Republican governors met with Abbott in Eagle Pass, Texas — about 165 miles north — to give their support to his Operation Lone Star initiative.

Local law enforcement can offer overtime to their officers to help with border security and often are essential to boosting Border Patrol forces on the ground, Del Bosque said.

“Their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts serve as a testament resolve to uphold the rule of law and defend our borders together. We stand united in our mission to preserve the peace and security of not only Zapata County but the United States of America,” Del Bosque said.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.

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