US Department of Homeland Security detains over 4,100 migrants in Texas

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that 4,170 undocumented migrants were detained during a ten-day operation in Texas known as the ‘Lone Star Mission’. Conducted between October 19 and October 29, the operation involved five regional delegations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, and Harlingen.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin described the operation as an “incredible success,” stating that those detained were linked to crimes including homicide, sexual assault, human trafficking, and driving under the influence. One notable detainee identified was Victor Manuel Macias-Castro, a Mexican citizen and member of the La Linea cartel.

While officials emphasized the arrest of individuals with criminal ties, the DHS did not specify the exact number of detainees with prior convictions or pending charges versus those detained solely for immigration violations. This announcement follows a period of increased deportations and detentions under the Trump administration and occurs shortly before legislative elections on November 3.