A West Texas sheriff’s deputies arrested a Venezuelan asylum seeker last week for smuggling a group of migrants into the interior of the U.S. The migrants were part of a steady stream of migrants apprehended in Terrell County, Texas, during the final days of the Biden administration.
Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland posted photos of his deputies arresting a Venezuelan asylum seeker released into the U.S. under one of President Joe Biden’s administrative migrant programs. These programs led to record-shattering migrant encounters during the past four years.
Another Venezuelan asylum seeker attempting to smuggle in Terrell County!
— Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland (@SheriffThad) January 10, 2025
Terrell County Sheriff’s Office #OperationLoneStar Deputies and an additional Deputy working #OperationStoneGarden overtime apprehended a Venezuelan asylum seeker attempting to smuggle five illegal aliens. pic.twitter.com/cAqxpbx8bS
The deputies were working overtime to patrol the far-west Texas highways under Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star and the federal Operation Stone Garden programs. Sheriff Cleveland did not indicate if the Venezuelan migrant is affiliated with the prison gang Tren de Aragua.seek
Two days later, deputies worked with the Texas Military Department and Sanderson Station Border Patrol agents to apprehend more migrants attempting to avoid apprehension.
#OperationLoneStar success…
— Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland (@SheriffThad) January 12, 2025
A Terrell County Sheriff’s Office #OperationLoneStar Deputy assisted Sanderson Border Patrol Agents and Texas Military Department personnel with the apprehension of two illegal aliens from Mexico. pic.twitter.com/l0SRNDqZXu
The deputies and Sanderson Station agents apprehended seven more migrants from Guerrero, Mexico, later that day.
A group of seven illegal aliens from Guerrero, Mexico were apprehended by Sanderson Border Patrol Agents. pic.twitter.com/QIkIYYMCnS
— Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland (@SheriffThad) January 13, 2025
On Wednesday, Sheriff Cleveland posted more photos showing his deputies assisting two more groups of migrants in Terrell County.
Another group from Hidalgo, Mexico, apprehended early this morning in Terrell County, Texas.
— Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland (@SheriffThad) January 15, 2025
The Sanderson Border Patrol Station led the charge with assistance from CBP AMO Alpine, the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office and #OperationLoneStar personnel in the arrest of eight. pic.twitter.com/v3bvAMKvNG
The second group included seven Mexican nationals from Hidalgo.
The Terrell County Sheriff’s Office Deputies working #OperationLoneStar and #operationstonegarden assited Sanderson Station Border Patrol Agents and Texas Military Forces with this group of seven illegal aliens from Hidalgo, Mexico. pic.twitter.com/rbSAXQjdMZ
— Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland (@SheriffThad) January 15, 2025
Note that many of the migrants are wearing camouflage to avoid detection as they try to make their way as gotaways into the U.S. interior.
Terrell County is located in the Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector. In December, Big Bend Sector agents apprehended 503 migrants. This is up from 282 in November and represents the busiest month for the sector in nearly a year.
According to CBP’s Nationwide Encounters report, Big Bend Sector agents have encountered nearly 50,000 migrants since October 1, 2021. FY21 statistics were not available at press time.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
