Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has unveiled a billboard campaign aimed at discouraging illegal border crossings into his state — especially by migrants who are hoping to cross illegally before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
The billboards, which began going up on Wednesday along major migrant pathways — mostly in Mexico but also in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — warn that undocumented entry into the U.S. through Texas risks incarceration by U.S. authorities and rape by the traffickers.
One billboard in Spanish translates to “Danger ahead: If you cross into Texas illegally, you will regret it forever.” Another reads: “How much would you pay to have your daughter raped?”
The campaign, which the Republican governor estimated will cost $100,000, is part of Abbott’s broader efforts to combat undocumented crossings along Texas’ 2,018-kilometer border with Mexico — which accounts for two-thirds of the Mexico-U.S. border.
The billboards feature warnings in multiple languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.
Another message reads: “Your wife and daughter will pay for the trip with their bodies. Coyotes lie. Don’t put your family at risk.” A coyote is an individual or group that facilitates the illegal smuggling of people across borders, often charging significant fees for their services.
“We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here — the truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way,” Abbott said during a Thursday news conference at a private ranch in Eagle Pass, Texas, which can be viewed on the governor’s Facebook page (starting at the 11-minute mark). “Our goal right now, immediately, is not only to discourage them from coming, but to help them understand the consequences.”
The number of migrants caught illegally crossing the Mexico-U.S. border soared to record highs after President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Trump has pledged mass deportations and aggressive border security efforts after he takes office next month.
“There are many people who may make a last-gasp effort,” Abbott said. “The message is: Do not risk a dangerous trip just to be arrested and deported.”
The initiative complements Operation Lone Star, launched in 2021 and which, according to Abbott, has resulted in over 529,000 migrant detentions and nearly 50,000 criminal arrests.
Texas has also allocated 1,400 hectares (acres) of land for detention centers to support Trump’s plans for mass deportations and border wall expansion. “We’d be more than happy to build the wall as long as the federal government pays for it,” Abbott added.
Eagle Pass, Texas — where Abbott spoke on Thursday — was one of the busiest crossing points for illegal migrants a year ago. Then the Texas National Guard installed razor wire, stacked containers and erected other barriers that injure migrants trying to get around them.
According to reports from Human Rights Watch, the operation has caused injuries and deaths of migrants, along with harassment of organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to migrants. The Border Patrol, controlled by the federal government, says that the razor wire cuts off access to the Rio Grande and closes off the spaces needed to process arriving migrants.
However, Abbott’s office points to declines in border crossings as evidence of success.
In a report released Thursday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, it was noted that there has been a “meaningful decrease in unlawful border crossings — including a more than 60% decrease in encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border from May to November.” It tied the decrease to the June 4 Presidential Proclamation on Securing the Border.
“November encounters between ports of entry are now at their lowest level since July 2020,” the release added.
It also noted that “from June 5 through the end of November, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security removed or returned more than 240,000 individuals to over 160 countries, not including CBP repatriations of noncitizens encountered at airports or the northern border.” More than 740 international repatriation flights occurred from June 5 through the end of November, the release noted.
With reports from El País, Reuters, Texarkana Gazette and Fox Texas Digital
