“By all legal means…”

Elected officials in Frio and La Salle have now joined a coalition of border-area governments with a shared resolution to support the Texas governor and law enforcement agencies in an ongoing battle against what they describe as an invasion by criminal elements.

The ten-county consortium was made complete Thursday morning, July 6, with a vote of support by La Salle County Commissioners Noel Niavez, Erasmo Ramirez Jr. and Raul Ayala, and County Judge Leodoro Martinez III. Comm. Jack Alba was absent from the meeting.

Frio County commissioners and Judge Rochelle Camacho signed their names to the joint resolution in June.

Present members of the coalition also include the governments of Atascosa, Wilson, Karnes, Dimmit, Medina, Kinney, McMullen and Live Oak counties. Judge Martinez said last week that he hopes others in the border region join the group, notably Maverick County, which has seen some of the largest crowds of asylum seekers attempting to gain entry into the United States this year and criminal activity by organizations responsible for smuggling undocumented immigrants through South Texas.

The counties’ resolution describes the outlaw activity as largely the responsibility of cartels, which “act as paramilitary narco-terrorist organizations that profit from trafficking people and drugs into the United States.”

The resolution also describes the ongoing immigration and humanitarian crisis at the border as one of invasion.

County officials have signed the document that acknowledges the US Constitution’s preamble listing the federal government’s responsibility to “ensure domestic tranquility” and “provide for the common defense,” and the document’s Article IV, which indicates that the United States is committed to protecting each of its states from invasion.

The resolution also acknowledges Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s power over the state’s military forces and his right to summon the militia to execute the laws of the state, “to suppress insurrections and to repel invasions.”

Gov. Abbott created Operation Lone Star in March 2021 as the umbrella under which to group his law enforcement, military and funding initiatives in response to the border crisis in which thousands of undocumented immigrants were being smuggled annually into the state from Mexico. Additional patrols, a Texas National Guard presence along the Rio Grande, and deployment of hundreds of state troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety have resulted in arrests, drug seizures and interruption of activity coordinated by the Mexican drug cartels, according to the La Salle and Frio county judges, Sheriffs Anthony Zertuche and Mike Morse, District Attorney Audrey Louis, and DPS representatives overseeing the operation.

“Cartels exploit weak and unsecured borders for their own power and profit, to the detriment of our communities,” Judge Martinez read from the resolution.

State authorities have reported and are cited in the resolution as having made more than 376,000 apprehensions, more than 28,000 criminal arrests, with more than 25,000 felony charges since Operation Lone Star was launched.

The Texas DPS has also indicated its counter-drug operations have seized over 86 million lethal doses of fentanyl, a collective haul that it describes as “more than enough to kill every man, woman and child in the United States.”

“The ongoing border security crisis is not acceptable,” the resolution reads, “and has resulted in a security threat and humanitarian disaster with overwhelming consequences to residents of the state of Texas.”

In signing the resolution, each of the counties in the consortium vows “to promote the common goal of safety, security, and well-being of their residents.”

“These ten counties have recognized how vital the safety of our residents and visitors is to maintain a free and prosperous society,” Judge Martinez read from the resolution. “We have come together to support security measures at our southern border.”

“The ten-county consortium will unite to support each other to stop the ongoing crisis by all legal means,” the resolution reads, and will work “to provide support in repelling the declared invasion of those who relentlessly go to great lengths to circumvent the laws of Texas and the United States of America.”

Judge Martinez said last month that he hopes the combined weight of the county governments will have an effect on federal policy related to border security.

In Frio County, Judge Camacho said after commissioners signed the resolution that she hopes the initiative will help secure relief for those immediately affected by criminal activity, including those whose property has been damaged by smugglers and those who have suffered injury or lost loved ones as a result of law enforcement pursuits.

County governments signing the resolution are planning to host town hall meetings to update the public on law enforcement initiatives related to border security and intervention in organized criminal activity.

In Frio and La Salle counties, Sheriffs Zertuche and Morse have ordered policy changes to reduce the number of high-speed pursuits of smugglers who drive into residential areas. Recent incidents in Pearsall and Cotulla have involved law enforcement interception of suspects who have tried to evade capture by driving off IH-35 and into neighborhoods and school zones.

Sheriff Morse said on Friday that he believes the most pressing issue facing Frio County residents from the border crisis is criminal activity related to smuggling.

“We can hope for some assistance with handling smuggling and human trafficking,” More said of the county’s expectations from the consortium. “Equipment, manpower… We can use anything provided.

“Smuggling affects all of us in one way or another,” the sheriff said. “Everything starts out, in the case of these smugglers, with violations of Texas law. It includes driving stolen vehicles and trespassing. Immigration itself is not our priority as a sheriff’s office. Our duty is to the people of Frio County. We have a hardworking sheriff’s office here. When you call us, you are going to get service. That’s what we exemplify. When you talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk.

“We all want stiffer penalties for these law breakers,” the sheriff said, “but our county jails are full down here. The state needs to recognize that and help come up with some solutions, and that might mean building more detention facilities.”

Sheriff Zertuche also said last week that he hopes the consortium’s resolution to apply pressure on the state and federal governments will result in tougher sentences for those involved in smuggling.

“There have to be harsher consequences for the illegal transport of undocumented immigrants,” Zertuche said on Thursday. “That’s been one of the main issues behind so many people being attracted to smuggling. If we can promise that sentences will be tougher, maybe we can deter some of these potential smugglers from coming down here.

“Just this morning, I witnessed a district court sentencing of five years in prison for a smuggler, and it was someone who has no history of law breaking,” the sheriff said. “This was a local person with no prior criminal record, going to prison for felony human smuggling. A five-year sentence is tough, and I hope that message goes out.

“Deterring the criminal element has to be one of our approaches,” the La Salle County sheriff added. “Our officers are intercepting smugglers, and we work side by side with our state and federal partners to ensure the safety of our communities, but there has to be more than one approach.

“Local, state and federal agencies need to be on the same page here,” Zertuche said. “We are seeing the same number of smuggling cases today as we were months ago. It’s remained steady, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an increase. The increase in numbers is out there. We are being called to assist the Border Patrol and the DPS daily in smuggler interceptions.”

Zertuche added that Operation Lone Star has provided overtime pay for all of those among his staff who sign up for additional patrols related to border security, and has helped pay for equipment.

“If we are going to do the job, we need the tools to do the job, and the state has helped with that,” the sheriff said. “It’s important that everyone is aware of what’s going on, and the consortium will help put a unified message out there.”